DARK vs LIGHT:DAY vs NIGHT
by Princess Brigant
Summary: Grief, heartbreak and the shock that she's a wealthy Fae Princess have newly single teacher Sookie moving to Shreveport. There creates a new life and has a run-in with a devilishly sexy Eric which ends in disaster. He has competition from a handsome fairy who also wants woo her, whilst baddie Bill and Queen Sophie-Anne want her as a pet. Romance/lemons with a touch of drama. AU/M
1. Chapter 1

**DARK vs LIGHT : DAY vs NIGHT**

A/N: This story is told mostly from Sookie's POV with the odd few in Eric's POV too. I choose not to follow the exact plot of SVM or TB, as I like to mix the story up a bit so, I hope you enjoy where I take the characters. This is a romance and therefore will be reasonably light, lemony and fluffy, just like lemon meringue pie. If you enjoy it - review it...pretty please?

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**Chapter 1 - Sookie**

In the fading light of the spring evening, Sookie curled up her grans favourite old wing-backed armchair, wrapped her arms tightly around her legs and buried her head into the blanket that covered her knees. She allowed the hot tears to spill as she sobbed at the misery her life had become, oblivious to the comfort the roaring fire was offering. She had never felt so alone, so empty and so bewildered.

Until a few weeks ago her life couldn't have been more different. She'd lived a relatively normal life with her gran and brother in the small town of Bon Temps, Louisiana in the homely whitewashed farmhouse that had been in their family for generations. Sookie loved the farmhouse that she and her brother Jason had come to live with their gran when she was seven, after their parents were killed in a freak flood. Their existence was simple and hard-working, but it had also been filled with love and laughter. Her gran had been her mother figure and confidante for all her twenty two years and one of only a few souls who knew for sure that she was telepathic.

She had graduated Bon Temps High School with good grades and a scholarship to a college in Shreveport to study for a teaching and psychology degree. It was a subject where she felt her 'gift' would be of actual use and one that was essential if she wanted to help disadvantaged children. Her sweetheart John Quinn had proposed to her on their last day of high school and she had accepted immediately, they had been together two years and were deeply in love, so she could see no other future than one with him in it. She'd been so naïve.

Quinn had always been overprotective of Sookie, always reluctant to let her out of his sight and was insanely jealous of any man who so much as looked her way. He was a mountain of a man; tall, handsome and muscular like a pro-wrestler. As her first love, Sookie adored him and loved how safe she felt in his presence, but she also feared his temper and possessive nature. The intolerance he showed towards her admirers and his unfounded lack of trust in her was the beginning of the end for their relationship as his behaviour towards her gradually chipped away at her self-esteem.

She had never been particularly popular due to the fact that she was pretty. That was not Sookie being vain, she'd heard it enough times in the heads of men and boys wherever she went, along with the snide comments from jealous women convinced she was out to steal their beaus. She was no such thing, but that didn't stop Quinn accusing her of flirting and making digs about why they were looking at her. She eventually covered more skin than was comfortable in warmer weather, but she did it to keep Quinn from doubting her.

It was only when Sookie announced that she wanted to wait until she had made her mark in the teaching world, to get married that Quinn showed his true colours. Her reason was mostly due to her career, but the niggling doubts about their future made Sookie want to step carefully. In the few weeks after graduating with her degree and an offer to teach special needs children at a school in Shreveport, their relationship had deteriorated to the point that they barely saw each other. Quite often Sookie would be working as a waitress at Merlotte's to help pay off her college fees or helping Gran around the house.

Gran had been over the moon with joy at being the first Stackhouse to get a college degree and was even more proud that she was now a bona fide teacher. Quinn had always had a luke warm attitude to her teaching aspirations and Sookie didn't let on to him that she had heard, in this thoughts, that she would most likely drop out or fail, therefore leaving her no option but to get married. He didn't approve of her working at Merlotte's bar either and his negative attitude towards her friend and the bar's owner Sam was increasingly tiresome. He and Sam Merlotte despised each other for some unknown reason, one that Sookie had never been able to find out, even from their thoughts.

She had always found Quinn's thoughts to be harder to decipher; his brainwaves seemed a mass of incoherent streams mixed with extreme emotions, but every now and again she'd break through. Over the years she had fallen into a rut with Quinn, his moods often dictating how comfortable she was in that rut. Some days he could be perfectly fine; affectionate, considerate and fun. Others, he would be overbearing, verbally abusive and negative.

The fact that they didn't live together was one thing that exacerbated Quinn's moods. Sookie was adamant that she wanted to wait until they were married to have sex, but Quinn was absolutely desperate to get into her panties. There was a time, before he started behaving so moodily, that Sookie thought she would submit to him. But that was lost long ago; the verbal abuse and mood swings were a passion-killer as far as she was concerned.

It had become obvious that their relationship was hanging on with a thread when she found out that he was cheating on her with two women that came into Merlotte's one lunchtime. The women didn't have to know that she was telepathic to know that she could hear them, they were intentionally loud and wanted to shock the small minded folk in the vicinity to hear their raucous conversation.

The women had walked in and sat in her section, complaining about being worn out from the big stud they'd had a threesome with just last night. When Sookie heard and saw who their unspoken thoughts were about, she felt sick. Their talk got louder, but it didn't matter, she'd heard enough from their thoughts to know that Quinn had fucked them both casually for the last year . Sookie realised that the threesome happened the night that Quinn claimed he was working as a doorman at a club in Monroe.

Pieces fell into place as she listened on and more nights of lies were revealed. Nights where she had tried to call him and he'd not answered, or dubious explanations of why he couldn't see her when she had time off.

She had fled into Sam's office in tears, leaving a bemused Arlene to serve the women, Sam following in Sookie's wake. After explaining what she overheard the women talking about, Sam let her go home early knowing she was in no fit state to carry on, so she fled the bar and went home to gran.

Gran had been incensed at Sookie's finding out Quinn's grand betrayal and supported her wholeheartedly in her decision to end things with him. Gran didn't even suggest asking Quinn to come clean, she trusted Sookie's 'gift' enough that she had heard sufficient evidence.

So, it was that night she decided to confront him as she asked him to come over as she had something important to speak to him about. No doubt he thought she was going to let him have sex with her finally and was at the house in record time. Gran let them have some privacy and sat out on the back porch with a book, just in case Sookie needed her. She had never told Quinn outright about her telepathy but his suspicion about what she could do would be enough for him to realise that he couldn't fool her any longer. There was also something other than his infidelity that he was hiding, but whatever that was would remain a mystery now that she was cutting him out of her life.

To say that Quinn was angry was an understatement. When she asked him that what she had overheard was true, at first he denied it, saying that she was stupid to listen to town gossip. After explaining what she had heard the women at the bar talking about, he dropped the innocent act by cursing the women out for shouting their big mouth's off. When he'd realised that he'd dug himself a hole he couldn't get out of, he turned on Sookie, accusing her of being frigid and boring. He'd needed some action and resented her delaying the wedding for her studies that he thought were a waste of time. Apparently he'd wanted to fuck her for ages and getting married would've made it possible in their family's eyes, but Sookie's delay made it unbearable for him. With temptation under his nose every night he worked, he just couldn't keep it in his pants any longer. He thought her career aspirations were a waste of time, when all she'd be doing is getting pregnant as soon as they married and then staying at home to raise his kids.

He genuinely loved Sookie, but it was a possessive, controlling love…one where he had the prettiest girl at school, in the town even and then married her and knocked her up. He'd wanted to show every man in town what they were missing out on; it was more of a competition to him than a relationship.

She had sat there in silence as he ranted on about how he'd wasted so much time keeping it in his pants for a career that she should never have as his wife. He snarled at her, criticising her morals and laughing about how unsexy she was in comparison to the other women. She had never felt so hurt and demoralised since before she was old enough to block the hateful thoughts of others. The shock of his lack of guilt and cruel words stole her tongue and froze her body. Only a whimper of despair sounded from her at the breaking of her shattered heart.

How could he do this to her? She had been nothing but loyal and supportive to him; she thought she was a good girlfriend. Obviously to Quinn, their relationship was based on sex. He loved having the prettiest girlfriend, but his patience and her need to succeed in a career clashed with his ultimate goal.

Gran had heard everything and came storming in, shotgun in hand. She was fierce for a lady in her seventies, but that didn't stop her. She didn't take shit from anybody. Hurting a member of her family, though not physically, but emotionally brought up painful memories for the both of them and gran wouldn't allow Sookie to be so abysmally disrespected. As gran escorted him out, he snatched the engagement ring she had put on the side table when she had removed it from her finger. His eyes flashed a strange violet colour that she hadn't seen before.

Unfortunately for her gran, the strain of chasing off an enraged fiancée was enough for her weak heart and as she watched Quinn tear off in his truck, she collapsed on the porch, clattering against the weathered wood as she clutched her chest in agony. Sookie was drawn from her weeping when she heard the commotion and dashed outside to find her gran crumpled in a heap, a glassy look to her eyes. She'd gone so quickly, but that didn't stop Sookie from attempting CPR as she called 911 hands free from her mobile phone. When the ambulance arrived, Sookie knew it was far too late…the lack of thoughts from her gran confirmed she was gone. The medics pronounced her dead from a heart attack and awaited the arrival of the coroner.

In the space of a few minutes, she'd lost her fiancée and her gran. The two people she loved most in the world, now she was alone. Although she couldn't confirm it, she knew something awful had happened to Jason and so she couldn't even seek comfort in her brother. He had been pronounced officially missing after taking off one day and was not seen or heard from since. Several months of searching for him uncovered nothing and so they had all thought the worst.

Sookie felt like her heart had imploded and was sucking the life out of her body. A concentrated throb of pain in her head was making it hard to focus on what had gone on around her in the days following her gran being taken away to the morgue. Her friends had come to see if she was OK, after hearing the sirens screaming in the direction of her house, but she was so out of it she wouldn't have been able to tell who actually came. They had put her to bed and her boss Sam had come over to check on her apparently, he'd left a note for her by her bed saying to take as much time off as she needed and to let him know if there was anything he could do for her.

In the weeks following her grans funeral and the reading of the will, Sookie had to deal with a myriad of emotions. From the heartbreak of a serious breakup to the grief at the loss of her beloved gran and then the bombshell revelation that she wasn't completely human.

When their family attorney visited her at home, she never expected to be handed information that she was now an extremely wealthy woman, or a strange looking letter that had been kept secret for a long time. He left her to read the letter in private, promising to contact her when all the necessary paperwork had been completed regarding the financials and the deeds to the properties.

The contents of this secret letter were a life-changer and bigger than heartbreak or loss, _much bigger_. Gran had been keeping a secret from her all her life. _Hell, not just me but Jason, Mom, Dad...everyone!_

The letter revealed that the writer, a man called Fintan Brigant was in fact her grandfather and that he and gran had an affair resulting in the birth of her dad and aunt Linda. He wrote that he happened upon her in her garden and was enthralled by her and instantly fell in love. She was reluctant at first, but also enthralled by him enough to fall i love too, so along with the attraction and the promise that he could give her children when her husband had been unable to, the draw was one she could not resist.

The revelation that this man was not only her grandfather by blood, but that he was a _fairy_ was incredible. Sookie had scoffed loudly when she read that he was a prince of the Fae and that he had kept their existence secret due to enemy Fae who would destroy his bloodline without remorse. She had thought the guy was a nutjob until she read further on in the letter to a section that was written by her gran, confirming every word he said.

Her grans apology was hard to swallow at first. She explained her misery about not being able to conceive with her husband and the guilt she felt at her unfaithfulness and deception. Each declaration tugged at Sookie's heartstrings and she broke the damn of tears that flowed in sympathy for her grans torment. That led her gran and this _Fintan_ to describe that she was an eighth fairy but that due to his being a prince, she was in fact, a princess of the Fae. She had a great-grandfather and several cousins who lived in a the Fae realm who may not be able to come to her due to war that was raging there. It was safest for her to remain in the human realm and undiscovered by enemies.

Evidently there would come a point in when her _magic spark _would ignite and she would be able to perform Fae spells. It all sounded completely ridiculous and unbelievable, like something out of sci-fi movie. She would believe it when she saw it. It did however, explain her telepathy; what it didn't explain was why his other grandchildren were unrecognised. Was it to do with this magic spark nonsense? Jason and Hadley had never shown any signs of telepathy or magic as far as she knew; well it wasn't as if she was in a position to know anyway. Both of them were missing under mysterious circumstances.

Roused from her musing in the comfort of grans armchair, she became aware of a presence out in the garden, a presence that made her brain tingle and a sensation that drew her closer to the window. From there she could see a strange glow in the treeline and her brows furrowed in confusion. When she pulled the muslin drapes apart, Sookie noticed the outline of a figure illuminated in a soft yellow glow and the more she stared at the figure, the less hurt and despair she felt. It was as if this light healed her, giving her a wonderful sense of well-being and strength. She smiled for the first time in weeks and spontaneously raised her hand to the figure; who in turn raised a hand back. In a flash, the light faded and the mysterious figure was gone.

Was it grans ghost, or an angel? It certainly looked like an angel, but the silhouette was so blurred by the bright light she had to squint. She was certain though, that the figure had meant well as she felt acceptance and a small amount of determination to overcome her grief. Gran would be horrified if she knew Sookie had lived like a hermit since her death and wondered whether gran was rousting her from beyond the grave.

She ran out of the house and into the garden where the figure had been standing, but could see nothing. There were no footprints, no disturbance of the ground at all, only a faint lingering smell of fragrant flowers like lilac and jasmine. Shaking her head in disbelief, Sookie wondered if she was having a psychotic break and that perhaps she ought to sleep in her own bed tonight, rather than in the armchair…grans armchair.

Walking slowly back towards the porch, breathing in deep cleansing breaths of the fragrant evening air and gradually made her way upstairs after locking up. Strangely, she felt the need to start taking care of herself again, when before she was miserable enough to just let herself wallow. Getting a good nights sleep would refresh her enough to start pulling her life together, gran would have told her.

Deciding on a shower first as she hadn't had one in days, she dashed to the bathroom to take a long hot shower, thinking that perhaps the hot water would relax her muscles and help the sleep to kick in. After ten minutes and the gradual cooling of the water, Sookie felt her eyelids drooping. She turned off the shower and rubbed herself dry, not bothering to dry her hair before she flung on some comfy pj's and flopped back into bed.

As she waited for sleep to take her, she pondered on what she was going to do with her life now. She was now the owner of two properties, grans farmhouse and Jason's house that formerly belonged to her parents.

Although Jason hadn't been pronounced 'missing presumed dead' yet, she was the co-owner of the house and if she was to keep on top of it's upkeep, she'd need to rent it out. She had lived in the farmhouse since her parents died and it held a mass of wonderful memories, the ghost of her heartbreak and grans body lying on the porch haunted her. She didn't want to stay here, or in Jason's house…both tormented her. She wanted a fresh start and a new life, a new house. She wanted to be a confident and independent woman. She would never again to be so naïve and trusting in a man.

Her thoughts moved to Quinn's hurtful insults about her prudish ways and reserved character. His digs at her over the years for wasting her time on holding on to her virginity stung. She had always prided herself for her Christian morals, but what good had it done? What good had any of it done? She'd lost the man she loved and her matriarchal figure because of it, because of him and his narrow minded views. It was Quinn's fault that her gran was dead and the bitterness inside her manifested in her a need to change.

The words from Fintan's letter spoke to her as she thought about Quinn's treatment of her. Her grandfather had written about how she was 'beautiful and special' and Sookie couldn't help but wonder how Quinn would react if she told him she was descended from royalty. That there were plenty of people out there who thought highly of her.

Her mind filled with visions of how she could aspire to be what Fintan said she was without advertising the fact, but her mind came up blank. She was still set on building her career and making something of her life; something that would make gran proud. With her new found confidence in the future, she put away thoughts of fairy powers and royalty and pulled the covers over herself, drifting off into a peaceful sleep.

Disclaimer: I own no rights to characters referred to in this story. Original characters owned by C. Harris or True Blood the tv series. No copyright infringement intended.


	2. Chapter 2

**DARK vs LIGHT : DAY vs NIGHT**

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**Chapter 2 - Sookie**

When Sookie finally opened her eyes, the sun had moved round to the front of the house, so she knew it was just after lunchtime. She had slept for fourteen hours and boy, had she needed it!

Sitting up slowly and pulling her legs over the side of the bed, she stretched her arms over her head to lengthen her spine and stood up. She no longer felt the lethargy that came with overwhelming grief; not that she was finished grieving, not at all. It felt like there were no more tears to cry, but that all hurt that had built up had been released. She still missed them both, but one of them she knew she could live without; gran on the other hand, was a big hole in her life and it would take a lot to fill her place.

As she'd showered the night before, she went straight downstairs to fix breakfast and as she walked into the kitchen, a brief wave of sadness hit her as she imagined gran at the stove, apron on and spatula in hand as she moved bacon and sausage around the pan. It was almost as if she could smell what she was cooking and if it wasn't for the fact that she hadn't been shopping in several weeks, Sookie would have recreated that little memory for herself. As it happened, she would have to make do with toasted English muffins that came from the freezer and the usual coffee. She really needed to go to the store if she expected to eat later.

Whilst the coffee was brewing, she delved into the kitchen drawer that held all the odd bits and bobs that didn't really have a home, including the notepad and pen that her gran kept in there to jot down recipes and reminders. Helping herself to a cup of coffee, she sat down at the kitchen table and started to make lists. First was just a simple grocery list, but the second was the list that would change her life.

She called the second list, her Life List and wrote out ten points:

Clear grans and Jason's things

Find a place to live in Shreveport.

Buy a new car

Quit Merlotte's

Image overhaul

Join an class (dance or self-defence)

Get a dog

Get a social life

Do something reckless

Have mind-blowing sex

The last point she had to dare herself to write. She could see herself giving up her virginity even though she had held out for marriage with Quinn. His criticism of her need to hang on to her innocent morals had stung at the time, but now she brushed it off. Perhaps it was her subconscious telling her he wasn't the right one?

Even though gran had brought her up to believe that she should give herself to her betrothed, times had changed. Women fell in love and had sex freely before marriage nowadays, they had more options and from what Sookie heard from people's minds, knowing a man intimately beforehand, was a bonus. Not that Sookie wanted to go around having casual sex, but she would be more open to giving herself to someone if she deemed them worthy. She wanted to feel like a real woman, to be loved and made love to and if she couldn't find love, then hot, mind-blowing sex would do nicely. She would listen to her conscience more often as it seemed to be the more sensible one of them.

When she had finished her lists and her breakfast, she looked around the house and felt guilty that she hadn't cleaned or tidied in weeks. Gran always kept a pristine house and had taught Sookie that pride in your home was paramount. Feeling a spurt of energy she pulled every cleaning product from the cupboards and rolled her sleeves up. She washed, wiped, scrubbed and polished everything that didn't move as well as running the hoover through the house. The porch was swept, bedsheets changed, washed and hung on the line to dry. The garden could do with a tidy, but that would have to wait for another day.

Sookie mused to herself about whether there was a handy fairy spell for chores that she could conjure up. She wondered if she'd ever get to learn what she could do or whether it would be trial an error. She imagined herself in disastrous magical situations akin to the Sorcerers' Apprentice and hoped to God that she wouldn't end up destroying her house in the process!

She had pushed the whole 'I'm a fairy princess from another realm' nonsense to the back of her mind. Until she saw some evidence of this, she was just plain 'ole Sookie Stackhouse, human telepath and resident of the state of Louisiana.

Now that the house was presentable and her muscles ached from the lack of use, a soak in the bath sounded heavenly. It had been a while since she pampered herself, so after soaking in her favourite ginger scented bath bubbles 'til her fingers pruned, she let the water out. Her long hair had been washed and deeply conditioned, then wrapped it in a towel as she dried off and sat at her dresser.

Today would be the first day she had left the house since grans funeral, but hopefully she wouldn't run into anyone she knew at WalMart who wanted to shower her with sympathy, she wasn't in the mood for it. Ever since the odd light person thingy that showed up in the garden, she'd felt an ever growing sense of peace that had wrapped her up like a warm hug. That was why she was so convinced it had been grans spirit come to draw her from her gloom.

When she was dressed she made her way in her little car to the store and bought as much food as she could to last a week. She felt in the need to do some good old fashioned meals and decided to make batches to store in the freezer now that she was cooking for one.

Returning home an hour or so later, it was now dark enough to put the lights on, the sun was going down so she stood at the back door that looked out onto the grassed back yard. Gran loved this time of day, her cherished flowers stood proud and released their fragrance of their blooms and Sookie breathed in their sweet scents mixed in with the earthy smells of grass and trees. Birds sang their early evening songs and the creatures that relished the darkness started to come out and join the chorus.

The cacophony of nature and its' song soothed Sookie's mind and for the first time in weeks, she felt relaxed…even after the therapeutic day she'd had. Turning back inside, she closed and locked the door and made herself a pot of homemade soup that she had made earlier.

Sitting quietly for a few minutes after finishing her soup, she resolved to go to Merlotte's tonight and tell Sam she was quitting, rather than leaving it until tomorrow. She didn't want Sam to get the wrong impression by inviting him for dinner, he had always been interested in her as more than an employee and she wasn't quite comfortable with the idea.

Now that grans will had been read and the shock of her inheritance was revealed, Sookie didn't need to work ever again, although she wanted to start the job that she had trained for, Merlotte's was a job that she wouldn't be sad to say goodbye to. Where the fortune her gran had left, had come from, she had no idea. Gran always lived frugally, sometimes sparsely and Sookie couldn't help but wonder why gran never dipped into that fortune. Maybe it only came to her recently, or was transferred from elsewhere when she died. The probate attorney hadn't been able to shed any light on this, even after checking his thoughts, Sookie realised he was just as bemused as her.

She had gone from have less than a hundred dollars in her account, to being the sole beneficiary of a $136million fortune including a chunk of shares in a pharmaceutical company. She could afford to buy any her heart desired, but she felt detached from a figure so large and was not able to process it's enormity. It was nice to know that she wouldn't have to struggle for money, but she felt guilty spending it. Gran had obviously not spent it and had her reasons, so therefore Sookie felt equally guilty even though her gran had left a small note with her will telling her to treat herself, but not to forget others in need.

She shook herself out of her musing, it was no use dwelling on it; the money was hers to do with as she liked and she would make sure she honoured grans request by putting some of it into a charity, maybe something connected to her work? Dashing upstairs, she sat at her dressing table to brush her hair until it shined, she pulled it into a side ponytail and popped on a little mascara and gloss. Jeans would do for the bar and so she stayed in the ones she had put on earlier and changed into a nice white linen tunic top and a pair of white wedge sandals.

Pleased with her appearance, she pressed a kiss to grans photo on her dresser and made her way out to her dilapidated old car which wheezed and creaked all the way to Merlotte's. She'd take the opportunity to speak to Sam about car hunting after she'd dropped the bomb of her resignation; her poor little car was on its last legs.

Luckily the bar was fairly quiet and Sam was leaning on the bar talking to Arlene, he looked up as she entered and gave her a beaming smile.

"Cher, how are ya?" He came out from behind the bar and embraced her. It was friendly, but she could hear from his thoughts that he was pleased to see her and that she looked great.

"I'm doing OK Sam, thanks for asking." She pulled back and smiled at him genuinely.

"Glad to hear it Sook, it's good to see you up and about." Arlene was smiling at her, wondering how Sookie was going to look after herself now that she was all alone. Thanks for reminding me, she thought to herself.

She and Arlene had never been the best of friends, but were nice enough to each others' faces when working together. Arlene had extreme views on certain things and was one of those people who forced their opinion upon you whether you wanted it or not. Their way was the only way and so on. Sookie was sure that Arlene would have _plenty_ to say about the fact she was now a multi-millionairess, but there wasn't a cat's chance in hell that anyone she knew would find out that little gem, she'd never be treated the same again. It would be 'weird Sookie' all over again and she'd be able to hear every envious or greedy thought sent her way. No, her fortune would be another secret to keep.

"Sam, can we talk in your office?" She glanced over at Arlene who had gone back to wiping tables down. Sookie did not want to be having this conversation in front of a gossip like Arlene.

"Sure Sookie, come on through." Sam led the way into his office and he sat down in his swivel chair and gestured to another chair adjacent to his desk and so they could talk in relative comfort.

"What did you want to talk about Sookie, are you OK?" He was frowning as he waited for her answer. His thoughts a mass of threads of thought about how Quinn was an idiot and that he wanted to tear his throat out for hurting her…he loved her and wished that she would take an interest in him above being friends and colleagues.

Time to end that train of thought. "I won't beat around the bush Sam, I've come to let you know that I'm quitting." He went to speak but she put her hand up to stop him and continued.

"I've thought this through Sam. In a month I'll be starting my new job full time, so it was inevitable. I want to get myself a place there and take a bit of time to myself before starting teaching."

He was nodding and smiling, a response she had not expected. "Good for you cher, I'm real proud of you. I'm glad you're making something of yourself and getting outta this dump, you're better than this." He looked around his office, indicating that she was better out of Merlotte's as well as the town. It was nice to hear some praise.

"Thanks Sam, I appreciate your faith in me. I'm actually quite excited at the prospect of moving, I need…a change of scene and a fresh start. I'm still sad for gran of course, but I know that she'd approve of what I'm going to do." She tried hard to hold back the tears at the mention of grans name and swallowed hard to keep them in.

Sam reached for her hand and held it gently in both of his. "That she would Sook, she was a wonderful woman and she'd be proud of what you're gonna make of yourself."

It was her turn to nod and smile now and she squeezed his hand back in thanks of his kind words.

"Do you mind if I don't come back, will you be able to cover my shifts? I…I just don't feel like I can come back and then go again as easy as can now." She asked nervously.

"Of course cher, I understand. I've got a couple of waitresses asking for more shifts so I can give them yours, they're kinda covering yours already anyway..." Sam looked sad but resigned to the fact that he'd be losing Sookie for good.

"That's great Sam, thanks for being so understanding." He looked at her sadly, not only was he losing his best waitress, but she'd be moving away from the town and his chances were looking even more slim at the possibility that he'd be able to ask her out properly.

"You'll do great there Sookie, lots to do and see and I'm sure you'll enjoy your job."

She got up to leave and Sam stood too, looking a little forlorn. He was thinking that he'd love to ask her out, but now was not the time. She'd just lost her gran, split from her fiancée and was moving out of her home town, probably for good. He'd lost his opportunity.

"I'll come back to visit, I promise. Goodbye Sam." They hugged again and walked back out to the bar. Arlene was busy with a customer, so gratefully she would be spared a string of nosy questions about why she was leaving. With a final look behind her, she gave Sam a small wave and walked out to her car.

As she was walking to her car, she saw Hoyt pull into the lot in his truck, that reminded her, _dammit_! She'd forgotten to ask Sam about car shopping with her. Hoyt would probably do better for that task; he liked his cars and he was a sweet and kind man who had been really supportive when her brother went missing. He and Jason had been friends since they were toddlers and his disappearance pained him as much as it did Sookie and her gran. There wasn't much he wouldn't do for Sookie if she asked.

Waving to Sookie to show her that he'd seen her, he jumped from his truck as he parked and ran over to give her a shy hug. What he wasn't short on in kindness he was in confidence.

"Hi Sookie, how you been, you doing ok?" He asked her softly as if he was afraid she'd burst into tears.

"Hey Hoyt, I'm doing fine thanks for askin'." She smiled happily at him letting him know she really was doing OK.

"Good, you want to join me?" He gestured with his thumb to the bar.

"Er, no thanks Hoyt, I just came to speak to Sam. Hoyt, would you do me a favour please?" She blinked, using her best puppy dog eyes for impact.

Hoyt actually blushed and stammered. "Sh..sh..sure Sookie, what do you need?"

"I need to buy a new car and don't have the first clue, would you help me…please?" Hoyts eyes lit up like you'd asked him if he wanted extra cream on his apple pie.

"I would love to! You know me and cars…watcha fancy gettin'?" He jabbered enthusiastically.

"I have absolutely no idea. Gran left me…a little inheritance money and think it's about time I had a decent car. I'm gonna get a dog too so something that's practical but stylish and pretty. You know her, I like pretty things…" Hell, she sounded so typical girly and that's what Hoyt's thoughts were exactly; that girls cared more what a car looked like rather than the practical stuff.

He laughed, understanding that motors weren't her forte and reached into his truck, producing a thick magazine and handing it to her. She glanced down at the title, 'Motoring Monthly'.

"Here, take a look at this magazine. It's got every kind of car you can buy and if you see one you like, just text me the details and and I'll find a dealership that we can go take a look. When you thinkin' of doing this?" He was enjoying this; she could see cogs ticking over in his mind.

"As soon as possible really…I think my car is on its last legs. Plus…I'm moving to Shreveport in a few weeks, so I'll need something before then." His expression was one of shock but it quickly changed to admiration, another genuine supporter of her plan thank goodness.

"Well good for you Sookie! I always said to Jason that you was far too pretty and smart to live in a town like Bon Temps." He blushed again and she couldn't help but give him a big hug.

"That's really sweet of you Hoyt. I hope you find yourself a really nice gal and settle down, make your mama real happy." If he hadn't have been her brother best friend she may have been interested, you couldn't ask for a more kind and genuine soul.

"_Ah_, Sook you're embarrassing me! Anyways…how about this weekend? You think that's enough time for you to take a look and get some ideas?" If it was possible for him to blush any deeper, he did at her compliment.

"The weekend sounds great actually. Thanks for the magazine, I'll give you a call when I've decided and we'll set a time to go, OK?" With a smile and a nod, they said our goodbyes and she walked with a spring in her step to her car.

As she slumped down into the seat, she grinned like a Cheshire cat. Instead of feeling melancholy at leaving the job she'd had for three years, starting out clearing tables and helping in the kitchen, and then as a waitress when she turned twenty one recently. She felt liberated and pleased with herself. She'd accomplished one and a half of her goals on her list and decided that there need be no order to it, she figured that they'd happen in their own time, she didn't want to force it.

Turning the key in the ignition, her car spluttered to life and she took the short drive back home. When she stepped out of her car, something felt different about her home tonight, like she could sense something unusual around her. As she looked out into the dark woods beyond the boundary of her garden, wood that bordered the local cemetery, she felt a chill run up her spine and rubbed her bare arms to smooth the goose bumps down. Shaking her head at finding nothing to be concerned about, she headed inside, locking and bolting the door and checking the windows…just to be on the safe side.

The night passed without incident and Sookie awoke 8am at to a beautifully sunny morning. She had slept peacefully again, without any bad dreams and was looking forward to completing another task on her list. Leaping out of bed with more enthusiasm than was normally granted at that hour before consuming any coffee, she dressed quickly and bounced downstairs to start some breakfast. Normally, she would wake to the smell of grans delicious breakfast aromas of pancakes and sausage, bacon and coffee, but today she'd just have eggs, toast and coffee.

After her breakfast, she fired up her laptop that her gran had brought her when she started college and logged on to a property rentals website to find herself a place in Shreveport. Before she considered putting both the Bon Temps properties on with the same agent, she'd ask around to see if anyone was interested in renting. She had a vague idea that Tara and J.B might be interested as they were engaged and desperately wanted their own space; but now she wondered about Hoyt and her brothers place…he'd be ideal and it would get him out from under his mamma's thumb.

Twenty minutes later and an appointment was made to view a beautiful house in Shreveport that was ideal for her to reach the school and in a safe neighbourhood. It was in an exclusive gated community and although the rental price was pretty extravagant, it had the most beautiful garden and view of the nearby lake. She planned to get a dog, so a garden was a must and an apartment just wouldn't suffice.

The house was a modern style, lots of glass and timber and was designed to look like a lakehouse; in fact it was a lakehouse. The rear of the property bordered a lake, so sitting out at night overlooking the peaceful water would be blissful. The collection of eight properties was owned by her prospective next door neighbour, a local businessman and thankfully he didn't mind pets. It would be partially furnished, with appliances but the rest would be up to the tenant if she had pets, a part which Sookie was looking forward to; the chance to furnish her own home was exciting. It looked ideal and she had a good feeling that she'd fall in love with it straight away.

With the fortune she had, Sookie could afford to buy the house more times over than she could work out in her head, but renting felt best for now. She wasn't sure if she wanted to stay in the city, having lived in the country all her life and until she felt the need to change jobs, this house would do fine.

Refilling her coffee cup, she settled back down to do some online shopping. Never having the resources before, it was a daunting task. She loved shopping but when you had very little to spend, your options were limited. Sookie knew her style was kind of innocent and 'country' and it had suited her well enough so far…but now a change was needed. She was older, a little bit wiser and starting her career and restarting her social life...she didn't want to mention the princess part.

Before, Sookie had hidden herself away in her clothes, Quinn had always wanted her covered up when they went out and as they had no sex life to speak of, only ever having gotten to third base, dressing sexily was out of the question. Buying the kind of clothes that emphasized her figure would attract male attention and if she wanted to take risks and have sex, then she'd just have to make an effort. She knew that there was more to dating and sex than just 'flashing the flesh' but for far too long, Sookie had relied upon her personality and manners. She wanted to feel sexy, admired and lusted after…Quinn had lusted after her purely out of conquest, so the feeling attractive and admired parts were missing. He just wanted to be the one to deflower her, claim her and make her his like she was property, but she had wanted it to mean more with Quinn. She was going to enjoy being single and needed to feel desired in order to boost her self-esteem.

She hadn't the first clue about fine clothes, so she decided that a makeover by a professional was the only option; she seen them on TV and the women always looked great after, so maybe she could trust someone else to revamp her image. A brief thought about how her mysterious royal cousins dressed flashed in her mind, but she quickly pushed it away.

Shreveport had a few shopping malls and deciding that the biggest department store with the most choice would be the best, Sookie booked an appointment with a personal stylist for the next day. It sounded like fantastic fun, and Sookie was momentarily saddened that her gran wasn't there to share in something like this. They had always walked a fine line between friends and relations.

By the time she had wasted hours pouring over properties, animal shelters and clothes stores, it was lunchtime. After a hearty lunch of leftover soup, she decided to go into town to return her long overdue library books, so she bounded down the steps to her car and drove off in into town. Pulling up at the market, she pulled out her list and made her way around the aisles, making sure to put plenty of healthy foods in. She'd not really eaten properly for a while and she knew that her gran would be up in heaven chastising her for not getting three proper meals a day.

Thirty minutes later, her cart was full of stacked bags and she headed back out to her car, but on the way out there was a notice board with an advert that caught her eye. It was for the animal shelter out in west Shreveport, they were appealing for people to adopt two pups whose mother had died and needed a caring home. Her luck couldn't be this good...could it? She hadn't counted on two dogs, but they were brother and sister. It echoed her familial situation and that plucked on her heartstrings. To be able to adopt two creatures suddenly without a mother and give them a loving home would make her immensely happy. She'd end up with two new friends and protectors. Pulling out her mobile, she dialled the number on the poster and was happy to hear that there had been no interest yet and that they'd be thrilled to have her come to meet them. Sookie did a little happy dance when she disconnected from her call, she was so excited to be seeing the puppies tomorrow.

As she drove home, she realised that her week was filling up with appointments and things to do or see. Most of the easy tasks on 'the list' were done or well on their way to being accomplished and the difficult ones were fast approaching. Instead of feeling intimidated, she felt confident and prepared to rise to the challenge.

Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough.


	3. Chapter 3

**DARK vs LIGHT : DAY vs NIGHT**

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**Chapter 3 - Sookie**

Sookie had never had the money to shop in a store such as she was in now. It was enormous with fancy lights and shiny marble floors; the staff were groomed to perfection, making Sookie feel grossly under-dressed. She muttered to herself as she built her courage.

_Come on Sook, your money is as good as everyone else's! _

_Yeah? Then why do I feel like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman with snobby sales assistants peering at me like I'm a shoplifter?_

_Because they are small-minded and superficial. Hold your chin up girl!_

After her little pep talk, she pushed her shoulders back and stood tall as she strode towards their Customer Services desk and announced her appointment with the Personal Shopper. Luckily, the guy behind the desk didn't judge, instead he gave her a wide smile with kind eyes and instructed her to take the nearest elevator up to the 3rd floor.

Her emotions were all over the place now, a mix of trepidation and excitement ran through her, filling her with nervous adrenaline. She realised she was humming quite loudly, a nervous trait that she'd had from a young age, ever since she started to hear things she found uncomfortable. She would hum to drown out the thoughts, but it developed into a habit whenever she was around large groups of people all thinking random thoughts, or whenever she was apprehensive.

When the elevator stopped at the 3rd floor it opened out into a large, plush reception area decorated in the 'boudoir style'. Sookie had seen some home makeover programme the other week and this place looked just like it. Sumptuous velvet sofas and silvery silk drapes decorated the room along with complementary silver gilded fancy chairs with pink upholstery. She had to admit, it was lovely and made a note of the style as one she'd like to decorate her bedroom. A stunning woman with beautiful dark curly hair and shining hazel eyes greeted her enthusiastically and immediately projected her thoughts to Sookie.

_Wow! What a beauty, such an aura...she's illuminated from the inside out... so magical._

"Hi there, you must be Sookie. I'm Amelia Broadway, it's nice to meet you." She held out her hand for Sookie to shake.

Amelia Broadway was the loudest broadcaster Sookie had ever come across, but her thoughts, although loud, were warm-hearted and genuine. Sookie thought that she liked her straight away and she wasn't far off on the _magical_ part she supposed.

"Er, hi. Nice to meet you too Amelia." Sookie said a little shyly after hearing the unusual compliment in her thoughts.

"Would you like some refreshments before we start, or do you just want to dive straight in?" _At the deep end_...Sookie thought to herself nervously.

"I'm fine thanks, I'll follow your lead...I'm a novice shopper so I'll need all the help I can get."

"Great, I need to get an idea of your style and budget. Let's take a seat." Amelia gestured to to over-sized Regency chairs and started taking notes.

Two hours and a small fortune later, Sookie and Amelia had become fast friends. She had explained to Amelia that her style was practical but pretty and on a tight budget, but now she had inherited some money she could afford to spend a bit more on her wardrobe but was not into anything flashy or too designer. She was not used to extravagance and she could tell that Amelia loved that about Sookie, although she thought that Sookie would look great in some hi-end gowns they had with her figure.

Apparently Amelia came from a wealthy family but was adamant about making her own money, rather than being beholden to her father who wanted her to work for the family property investment firm. That was a quality that Sookie admired and although Amelia had the clothes and grooming that went hand in hand with wealth, she had a very down to earth personality and morals.

Whilst they shopped and Sookie tried on clothes, she confided to her new friend about her gran and Quinn, along with starting her new job and moving to Shreveport. They were shocked to find out that Amelia lived in the same gated community as the house she was going to view and all but begged her to give it the thumbs up so they could see each other often. She also knew the landlord and did some work for him on the side sometimes.

"Are you his personal shopper too?" Sookie asked innocently.

"Are you kidding! He doesn't need any help in that department...he's already got someone who takes care of that for him." Amelia smiled and an image of a beautiful blonde woman popped into her head.

"His wife?" She wondered whether she'd get to meet his wife during the day sometime as he apparently worked nights.

Sookie was a little taken aback when Amelia roared with laughter, clutching her sides whilst happy tears ruined her mascara. "Ha! I'll tell Pam that the next time I see her. No, he's not married, but he has a...family friend that helps select his clothes when he's too busy to shop."

Bringing the conversation back to her original question, she asked again. "So, what do you do for him, if you don't mind me asking?" She had the awful thought that it might be something sexual and blushed deeply, regretting that she brought up the question now.

Amelia saw the blush and interpreted the question just the way that Sookie feared. "It's nothing illegal or inappropriate, don't worry. I'm a witch and he employs me sometimes to do tasks for him."

Sookie's mouth hung open in astonishment. She was not expecting that. A _witch!_ There were real witches?

"A witch, like a real witch? Like Harry Potter...spells and broomsticks and stuff?" Amelia was smiling indulgently at her now. She probably had this reaction all the time.

"Harry Potter? Mmm, I'm more Hermione than Harry and unfortunately, no broomsticks. That would be cool though!" She laughed.

Nodding like one of those toy dogs people put on their dashboards, she tried to imagine what other supernatural being there might be if fairies and witches were actually real.

"OK. That's...just amazing. Does everyone know?" She wondered how people, especially her employer here at the store felt about it, was it a secret - like her telepathy?

"No, it's not something I advertise. Only the supe community know."

_Supe community_? Did she mean _supernatural community? _

"Community..._supe community?" _Sookie said out loud.

"Yep, you know...witches, vamps, weres and so on. What kind are you? I can't tell." Amelia said brightly, like Sookie should know exactly what she was talking about.

"What kind of...? What do you mean 'vamps' and 'weres', _vampires and werewolves_? They're real?" They had been standing at the time, but Sookie flopped onto a nearby chair, flabbergasted at Amelia's words. She knew she was speaking the truth, it was clear in her mind too, Sookie was a supernatural creature.

Amelia crouched in front of Sookie who was in shock and taking Sookie's hand in hers, she spoke quietly and with reassurance.

"Yes Sookie. Vampires and werewolves are as real as witches. The vamps are about to come out in public this week actually, it's going to be really cool!" Sookie just nodded, trying to process that fairytales of things that go bump in the night actually existed.

"Oh my, really? Like Dracula...or Twilight? Wow...are they safe to be around? What did you mean, 'what kind am I'?" The answer to this made Sookie nervous, she already knew that Amelia could tell she wasn't all human but was nervous to tell her the truth...although she had no reason to doubt her so far.

"Woah, woah, slow down there girl. To answer your question I'd say more Dracula than Twilight honey, but they're not all scary intimidating. Look Sookie, you're obviously more than human, I could tell straight away. That's why I chose to tell you about myself and then about other supes. There's a wonderful energy from you...you glow girl. Definitely a magical creature of some kind..." Amelia looked wary as Sookie's frightened face contorted like she was going to cry.

"Ok...vampires are real. I won't even ask about werewolves...maybe another time" Amelia smiled knowingly at her, finding out that mythical creatures were real is always a shocker.

"I...I always wondered whether there was something different about my 'make-up' what with my telepathy...I recently just found out that I'm part fairy." Sookie continued. Ever since that night when she saw the light in the garden she had felt different, more different than just being a telepath.

"A _fairy... a real to life fucking fairy! Oh my Goddess! And t_elepathy? You're a telepath...why didn't you say? That is fucking amazing!" Amelia jumped up excitedly like she'd just told her she was getting married or something, huh! Fat chance.

Fear suddenly shot through Sookie as she realised she'd admitted her greatest secret to someone she'd only met a few hours ago. "Please don't tell anyone, nobody knows!" She stood, gripping Amelia's hands firmly in hers, imploring her to understand.

"Sshh, sshh now. It's OK Sookie, your secrets' safe with me, don't worry. I swear it on the Goddess." Amelia squeezed her hands in return and continued. "Sookie, you don't realise how special you are do you? Fairies haven't existed in this realm for many, many years. The rumour is that they were hunted to extinction by vampires...there's a lot of mystery surrounding them. Hey...have you performed any magic yet?"

"I've always viewed my telepathy as a curse...I hate it. Its been nothing but trouble all my life." She swallowed the lump in her throat, reluctant to cry in front of her new friend. "And no, I don't know anything about my nature, there's nobody around to tell me about my kin or what I'm capable of. Maybe you can help me?"

"I can only imagine, but hey I'd be honoured to help you Sookie. I'll see what I can find out and hopefully we'll be neighbours by that time? Amelia's acceptance and enthusiasm was infectious and Sookie couldn't help but feel grateful that she had met someone so tolerant of her condition.

"Thank you so much Amelia, I'm so grateful...to be honest, I'm so overwhelmed by the news that I've kind of pushed it to the back of my mind. I don't know how to deal with everything that's happened in the last few weeks." It was nice for her to talk to someone about this stuff, she felt so lost with anyone to guide her through these revelations.

"I know, why don't we go out for a drink later next week, we'll get hammered, dance to cheesy music and spy on people's thoughts, make a game of it?"

Sookie's social life had been fairly barren for a while now and the thought of getting out and having some fun sounded pretty darn good.

"That sounds great! I haven't been out in quite a while. I'm not sure what I would wear though...where will we go?" Due to the constraints Quinn had put on her before, she had no idea how to dress to go out to a bar or a club and would need some help. At least she was in the right place.

"Well, I'm gonna take you to a friends bar and we'll have a blast. It's kinda unusual...it's a supe bar. Well, it's a vampire bar actually..." Amelia stopped, seeing Sookie's alarmed expression about taking her to a bar full of creatures that would most likely want to kill her.

"I know what you're thinking but I know the owners and you'll be safe there, I'll make sure of it. Really you've got nothing to worry about; it's great for people watching and there's usually a tonne of hot guys there." Sookie felt mildly reassured and decided to trust Amelia's judgement. She'd vowed to spice up her life by taking the odd risk and what harm could come to her in the company of a witch?

"What does a girl wear to a vampire bar?" She said, smiling in acceptance of the chosen venue of their girls night out.

Amelia let out a very girlie squeal of excitement and Sookie could barely keep up with the thoughts and images that bombarded her.

"Oh, my, Goddess...we are going to have a blast Sookie. I'll help you find an outfit for the night. Most people go for sexy and black or S&M style, but that's just not you honey. You need colour and I'm thinking red or white..." Amelia appraised Sookie and tapped her finger to her lips.

"Come on, I have a dress that will knock 'em dead...HA! _Knock 'em dead!_ Get it!" Sookie groaned at the joke but couldn't help but be infected by her enthusiasm. Sookie felt enthused at the idea that she had made a new friend and she was helping her kick-start her social life.

They whizzed to the evening wear section, grabbing two dresses and Sookie tried hard not to look at the price-tags. It really was as if Amelia could read her thoughts as she predicted she would baulk at the cost, so announced that she'd buy the dress with her staff discount card. She also broadcasted loud and clear that she should take both and wouldn't take no for an answer. She was ecstatic to have found someone as pure and light as Sookie to be a friend. The magic around Sookie was mesmerizing and made her feel so happy.

She said a silent thank you to her mystery benefactor and promised her gran that she get value for money from the dresses to make up for it. With that thought, she wondered if the money she'd inherited had anything to do with her grandfather. It must, there was no way anyone from her 'real' family had that sort of money. Of course, this Fintan wasn't around to ask about it...maybe he was dead?

The dresses were the sexiest thing she had ever worn, but Amelia assured her that she looked 'fuck hot' in both of them and that she'd definitely get laid.

Sookie blushed at Amelia's graphic complement, she wasn't one for crude language and only used profanities in extreme circumstances. Gran had been a stickler for good manners and hated the use of foul language, and she had instilled into this ethic into Sookie. Her self-esteem was still a little battered so she doubted that she'd get propositioned so...not that she'd accept, but she'd enjoy a bit of flirting just the same.

Sookie was still buzzing when she got home which was just as well; it took eight trips back and forth to unload her purchases. As she dumped them in the living room, she couldn't help feel a pang of guilt for her spree and she looked to grans picture for forgiveness. Gran smiled out at her and it was comforting for her to see the smiling face beam back at her, with no judgement forthcoming.

"You'll love the things I got gran! I wish you were here and we could have fun together trying them all on…" She trilled to her grans photo. It was almost as if her gran were in the room with her and Sookie imagined her sitting in her armchair, enthusiastically admiring all the lovely clothes.

She planned to spend the evening in her own little private fashion show, but as she was about to go upstairs to shower off the day there was a knock at the door. It was strange, because she'd not heard any thoughts from outside. Tentatively she walked to the door and called out before opening it.

"Hello, who's there?" Still no thoughts, but a deeply accented voice replied.

"Pardon me, I'm your new neighbour Mr Bill Compton, I just came over to introduce myself."

Oh, where were her manners! Gran would have her hide for making him speak to her through the closed door. She unbolted the door and flung it open to reveal the stranger with the deep voice. He looked like an actor from an old movie, his hair was dark and kind of old-fashioned and from his manners he seemed like he was from another time.

Finding her voice, she introduced herself. "I'm sorry Mr Compton that was rude of me…welcome to the neighbourhood, I'm Sookie Stackhouse." She held out her hand to shake his and he hesitated for a moment before taking her hand and placing a cool kiss on her knuckles.

"It's a pleasure Miss Stackhouse." She blushed a little as his eyes raked over her. Did she just imagine it, or did his nostrils flare like he smelt something. It must have been a good smell due to the sexy smirk he was trying to effect.

He was charming enough she supposed and there was something attractive about him. But here was also something that made her a little nervous, a something that she couldn't put her finger on that made her hesitate to invite him in. It wasn't even the fact she couldn't hear his thoughts or his unusually pale skin. It didn't take her but a second to deduce that he may be a vampire.

"So…you're a Compton right? Did you inherit old Jessie Compton's house?" She felt rude not asking him in, but she really wanted to shower and try on her new outfits.

"That's correct. We are, rather _were_ distant relatives and as I was the only one still…_living_, the estate inheritance came to me." He looked over her shoulder at the hallway, as if to incite an invitation. He was a little too eager for my liking.

She nodded her head, as she didn't really know how to reply to his answer. This conversation needed to end, it was getting a little chilly and his presence was making her feel slightly uncomfortable. It was as if her skin tingled in caution.

"Do you live with your family?" His question raised the alarm bells in her, it was too close to asking her if she was alone in the house for her liking. If she remembered rightly, vampires needed an invitation to come into your home. He'd be going home disappointed if he expected one.

He was staring at her intently now and she could feel an odd sensation pushing inside her head, like she was getting a headache. She put her fingers to her temples and rubbed them around a few times.

"I apologise for not inviting you in but I was just about to head off to bed for an early night…I've had a busy day and am quite tired." She said in a strained voice, hoping he would get the hint and say his goodbyes. _What on earth was that feeling in her head?_

"That's quite alright. It was a pleasure to meet you Miss Stackhouse. Perhaps I may call on you again another time?" You couldn't fault the guy's manners, but she had never felt such a desperate need to get out of someones company than his.

"Er...would you excuse me Mr Compton? I feel a headache coming on and need to lie down. You have a good night now." She would normally have deemed it rude to not accept his offer to 'call on her again' as he so archaically put it, but she couldn't wait to get inside and shut the door on him.

He frowned and pursed his lips for a moment, like he was angry at her brush-off, which only made her even more certain that she wanted nothing to do with him. It seemed his fake manners only lasted so long when he didn't get the response he wanted.

"Good night Miss Stackhouse, I hope you feel better soon." She gave him a small smile and closed the door as he turned away. Strangely enough she realised that headache had faded with his departure. She hesitated for a minute before checking that he was walking away, but found that he was nowhere in sight.

Amelia had told her a quite a bit about vampires when they met and how they were fast, strong and were able to kind of hypnotise you, 'glamour' she called it. Sookie was relieved that the sensation she had felt didn't seem to work on her, goodness knows what he would have done if he'd have got in the house. His intentions may have been perfectly innocent, but then why try to glamour her? Was it just to get into her pants and drink her blood? Sookie wondered how often that actually happened.

Trying not to let him spoil her mood, she locked up the house once again and warmed some supper as she let the bathtub fill up. She needed to soak away the creepy chills that Mr Compton had given her. When she'd finished her supper and taken all her bags up to her bedroom, she relaxed in the tub and then dried herself off. Laying a few outfits on her bed she went to undo her towel ready to try on the first of her new clothes, but something made her stop. She had that strange feeling like you know somebody is watching you, but it's not possible because you're on the first floor. Even so the feeling was enough to make her close her curtains to the outside world.

She tried hard to enjoy her new things, but Mr Compton had killed her buzz and she found herself wishing that somebody were in the house with her. It was relatively early and she wondered whether Tara, Sam or Hoyt were doing anything. Firing off a text to all of them, she explained that she felt in need of company and would any of them mind staying with her tonight. In the space of five minutes, her phone buzzed three times, all of them happy to come over. She was relieved that she'd have some company, so the night turned into an impromptu party.

Tara was the first to arrive and she took the opportunity to tell her about her plans before the others arrived. Thankfully she was happy for her and promised to come and visit her in Shreveport. She remembered that she needed to put it to her and Hoyt about renting the houses out when the boys got here. She divulged a little about her shopping spree and her reasons behind it, including her need to shake off the insecurities that Quinn had bullied into her.

Tara had never really liked Quinn and he was the reason that they had drifted away from each other over the years. They had been close growing up and when Sookie started dating Quinn, he dominated her time which meant that Tara and she rarely got to see each other. Ordinarily, pre-Quinn, Tara would be the first person Sookie shared any news with but that had pretty much stopped the deeper she got with Quinn.

Hoyt and Sam arrived and they sat in the living room with beers and popcorn as she told them about feeling a little uneasy being in the house on her own. She didn't say anything about the resident vampire, but from the look on Sam's face and the flashes from his mind, he could tell there was more to her explanation. How he did, she had no idea. He asked if she'd had any visitors tonight and she told him about Mr Compton and mentioned that he gave her the creeps but seemed polite enough. She didn't mention to Sam that he had asked to come by again as she had no intention of indulging his request.

The night was full of laughs and stories about Jason and her growing up and she felt steadily more comforted as time wore on. She hadn't laughed this much in ages and it felt good to let go and even managed to persuade Tara and Hoyt to take the houses on for her. It would save her time with the rental agency not having to get involved and she felt satisfaction in knowing that her and Jason's homes would be well looked after in the hands of friends rather than strangers.

Hoyt had shared the fact that he was desperate to move out of his momma's house and Tara felt happy that she could also get away from her alcoholic mom and finally make the next step with J.B and move in together. By the time it came for them to leave, it was 1am and they were all yawning. Despite this, they were buzzing with excitement at their impending moves.

Sam, on the other hand, looked reluctant to leave, she could tell from his thoughts that he was spooked about her earlier visitor, even though he hadn't known who it was and wanted to make sure she was safe. She wondered why Sam was so concerned about her visitor, did he know something she didn't? Maybe he was just being overprotective?

Everyone got ready to head out, with Sam lingering back to check if she was OK on her own. She reassured him that she was fine and that she'd lock up as soon as they left and she'd call if she needed anything. It seemed enough to pacify him, but his odd behaviour still lingered as he looked out onto her yard gently sniffing the air. _Odd._ She thought to herself.

They all said their goodbyes with promises of making arrangements for moving in. Now that she had sorted somebody to live in both the houses, she could go straight ahead with the house in Shreveport…there was nothing stopping her now.


	4. Chapter 4

**DARK vs LIGHT : DAY vs NIGHT**

Thank you so much to those that have reviewed, please know that I appreciate your comments even if I don't have the chance to reply. Note that I have touched up the last chapters to correct my first/third person mistakes. Oops, sorry about that. If anyone wants to see pics of the house, the dogs or Sookie's outfit, please PM me.

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**Chapter 4 - Sookie**

Thankfully, the night passed without occurrence for which she was grateful. Tara had texted her early to say that she could stay with her until she left for Shreveport, gradually moving her stuff in at the same time as helping her pack her own. She smiled, thinking that it was ironic that her friendship with Tara was reviving now that she'd lost her fiancée and was moving away.

As soon as it was an acceptable hour to call the rental agent she let them know wanted to take the house in Nordic Pines Estate sight unseen and as soon as possible. They would need to get her application approved by the landlord and would let her know when she could move in. Thanking them, she hung up and crossed her fingers, hoping the landlord found her application acceptable. She had already pinned her hopes on the gorgeous house and had imagined her and the pups living there happily like a little family.

With her housing situation solved, it left her with a free day, so she decided to sort through gran and Jason's stuff. Jason's was pretty much packed up already after he'd been missing for six months. Gran and she kept it in boxes in his house on some morbid wish that he really wasn't gone and that his stuff would be there when he finally came home, but it was never to be. The boxes that were filled with his clothes, she would drop off at the nearest homeless shelter in Shreveport, the personal items and knick-knacks' she would put in the attic at grans. The furniture and appliances were still fine and the place was clean and ready for Hoyt to move in.

Sookie sent him a text to say she'd meet him at ten am on Saturday for car shopping and that he could have the keys and the other documents relating to the utilities then. His reply was instantaneous and she was left in no doubt by the capital letters in his text that he was ecstatic. She doubted his momma felt the same somehow wondered whether Hoyt had sharp enough scissors to cut the apron strings, or whether she hid sharp objects from him like you would a small child.

Grans things were a different matter; it took her a while to sort through the decades of possessions that her gran had accumulated. She had few clothes and those that were deemed too good for the homeless shelter, would go to the local old folks home. She packed up the pictures and grans jewellery along with her own things that she wouldn't immediately need and placed them in the spare room ready for moving. Clearing out grans room felt wrong, but it was necessary. Tara and J.B needed to make this house their own for as long as they liked and so traces of its former owner needed to go. The shadow of her gran would always be here and she knew she could come back when she liked if she got homesick. Tara loved her gran as much as her growing up and she relished the thought of moving into a house with so many memories and had promised to take good care of it.

There were several items that she didn't want to take with her, so she boxed them up and took them up to the attic. The attic was littered with boxes and old pieces of furniture so she decided to have a peek through them to see what old relics she could find. There were dozens of photo albums and she cried torrents as she smiled at the pictures of her and her parents looking happy and carefree, not weeks before they died. Amongst the albums were some pretty old pictures of her gran, including one of her with a man that she didn't recognise. The way her gran and he looked at each other was more than friendship; more than family…it was with adoration. Sookie knew instantly that this must be Fintan.

Deciding to keep the picture with her other keepsakes, she climbed down from the attic and showered off the dust and grime and then fixed herself some lunch. She needed to sort out some furniture for her new place, if she got it, so she searched online for a store that delivered online and made a few notes on what she needed, reserving them ready for the decision by the landlord.

She'd spent the afternoon furnishing her knew home, buying most of it online and before long it was close on 7pm. The rumble from her stomach told her she was hungry, so she decided to head over to Merlotte's as it may be the last opportunity she'd get to go there for a while. That way she could also bring Tara home with her to stay after her shift and so she wasn't alone again.

She was dressed and ready to go in under 20 minutes so drove to the bar and parked up, giving the neon sign a wry smile. This almost felt like a farewell meal and it made her a little sad. Her phone started to ring as she walked through the door of the bar, it was the agency.

"Hello?" Her voice was hopeful; they could only surely be calling to let her know whether her application had been successful.

"Good evening Miss Stackhouse, its Bonnie from Shreveport Homes, I hope I'm not catching you at a bad time?" The noise from the bar was a little loud, so she moved to the hallway near Sam's office, smiling to Sam as he came out at hearing her voice.

"No, its fine, I'm just out for the evening." She was on tenterhooks and bit her lip in anticipation of the news.

"Well, I'm just ringing because I emailed your application to the landlord earlier today and he's just replied to say that he's happy for you to move in as soon as you like…" She didn't get to finish her sentence because Sookie squealed and jumped up and down in excitement, then crushed Sam in a hug before remembering that Bonnie was on the phone still.

" Wow - that's quick! I'm sorry to gush, but I'm so happy to hear I can move in!" She was a little breathless with excitement and noticed that she'd drawn the attention of a few patrons nearby. Tara had come running from the kitchen to see what the commotion was.

"Haha! I'm pleased for you too Miss Stackhouse, it's a lovely house and I'm sure you'll be happy there. The paperwork and keys are ready for you to pick up whenever you like." She grinned at the news that she could be moved in as soon as the weekend. This was fantastic.

"That's great. I'm planning on going to Shreveport anyway so can call in first thing. Thank you, thank you so much. I am sooo excited!" She prattled to the relative stranger on the phone.

"You're very welcome dear. Have a nice evening now, see you tomorrow."

"The same to you, Goodnight Bonnie." She disconnected her phone and jumped up and down on the spot, her smile wide enough to split her face.

Tara and Sam were grinning at her, obviously having caught on to the gist of her one sided conversation.

"Congrats cher, I'm real happy for ya." Sam put his arm around her and she grasped Tara's hand as her friend beamed at her.

"Me too Sook, both of us get a new place!" Sookie sighed happily now that she had a new place to move to. That brought her back to why she was there.

"Hey Tara, I thought I'd have some dinner here and then save J.B coming out to take you back to mine? We can talk about you moving in too."

"Sure thing Sook, I'll make sure that Laf pulls out all the stops for y'all. So, its happenin' fast ain't it? When ya movin'?" She pulled Sookie from Sam's half embrace and held both her hands, suddenly feeling a little sad that she'd be so far her friend that she had only just reconnected with.

"Well, I'm gonna pick up the keys and sign the paperwork tomorrow, so I suppose anytime after lunch tomorrow. You and J.B ready to move in this weekend?" She asked.

"Absofuckinlutely! You need any help?" Sookie couldn't help but laugh at her enthusiasm.

"Nah, I've only a few boxes and they'll fit in my car. Another thing that I'll be changing this weekend too. Hoyt's taking me car shopping Saturday and I ain't leaving 'til I've got me a new ride." She laughed at her own confidence.

"It's about time you got a decent car cher, that old rust bucket of yours is an accident waitin' to happen!" Sam teased.

"Hey, I love my little car…it's just time for it to go to the 'ole scrap yard in the sky. It needs a lot of work and it's just not worth it. I figured it's just another area of my life that needs a change." She sighed wistfully.

"Amen to that. Come on hun, let's get you seated and get a feast cooked up for ya. You're looking a little on the skinny side so make sure you order something hi-cal with a side of grease!" Tara squeezed her shoulder with a smile and headed back to the bar to get Sookie a Coke while she decided what she wanted to eat.

Taking Tara's words to heart, she ordered a burger Lafayette with fries and huge slice of pecan pie with extra cream. As she waited for her order to come, she listened in on the patrons for one last time and wasn't surprised that there was anything new to overhear. Just the same old gossip, money troubles or thoughts about sex.

She popped her beat up old phone back in her purse, deciding that she would get a new one when she had a chance. One that would suit her new image and lifestyle. Seeing as she was moving so soon, she called Sam over to ask whether she could use the computer in his office. She'd need to complete her order for furniture ASAP if it were to arrive for her moving in.

Quickly logging on to the furniture store where she'd saved her choices, she completed the checkout and beamed that she'd be able to get all her items delivered by express on Saturday. She could go look at cars with Hoyt in the morning and then go to the house in the afternoon to receive the delivery. Maybe Hoyt would stay to help?

Sitting back down at her table, it was only a minute later that her food arrived and she tucked in with relish. Tara grinned at her from behind the bar, her friends warm thoughts at how much better she looked since the initial grief of her grans death had passed. Although she was still very sad for the loss of her gran, she knew that her gran also wouldn't have wanted her to mourn her too long. _Life's too short for moping around!_ Gran would say when Sookie got in a sulk over something. She was always a pragmatic and wise old bird.

Sookie finished everything on her plate and sat back, patting her full stomach with satisfaction. Even though she hardly had room, her eyes widened in delight at the huge piece of pecan pie that Laf bought over personally. He'd garnished it with a cocktail umbrella and swirls of chocolate sauce around the edges like they do in fancy restaurants.

"Hey girl, is it true you's leavin' us fo the big city?" Lafayette pouted dramatically, one hand on hip, the other holding the pie.

"It sure am Laf, I can't wait! Is all that for me?" She tried to grab the plate but he withheld it from her with a wicked smile.

"Now, you's be looking after yo'self do you hear ole Lafayette? There's a lotta hot booty to be had in the city and you's one fine chica. You need a wingman, Laffy's here baby!" He gave her a stern look, not unlike one an older brother would give, before placing her pie down in front of her with a bow and a flourish.

Sookie couldn't help but giggle at his antics; she'd always had plenty of laughs with Lafayette even though his mouth and his mind were often in the gutter.

"Thanks Laf, I appreciate your concern. I need a good night out, so I may take you up on your offer…" She winked saucily at him.

"Well lookie at you, you gonna break hearts all over town with that look, phew!" He loved acting it up with Sookie, getting a rise out of her reserved nature. He was also pleased that she was away from Quinn, she'd always been far too good for that arrogant asshole as far as he was concerned.

After she'd wolfed down her pie she sat people watching at the bar, chatting to Tara and Sam when they had a quiet moment. Before she knew it, the bar had quieted down significantly and Sam told Tara to take off, so they headed out to go back home.

Pulling up at her farmhouse, they exited her car and walked up the porch steps to unlock the door. Sookie got that odd feeling that somebody was watching her again and she was relieved that Tara was with her tonight. They trudged upstairs after locking up; both tired from their late night and said their good nights.

It took Sookie a while to fall asleep; her mind was whirling with all that she had achieved this week alone. Tomorrow she'd be going to see the puppies and hopefully she'd have as much luck with them as she'd had so far with her housing arrangements.

She finally drifted off, dreaming of wolf-like puppies bounding around a beautiful yard, the lake and trees in the distance as she sat on a blanket enjoying her new home.

Friday morning promised another bright, warm day, so she was woken to slivers of sunshine breaking through the gaps in the curtains. She could smell the wonderful aroma of bacon and coffee from downstairs, which could only mean that Tara was up too.

Throwing on her robe, she bounced down the stairs to find Tara cooking up a storm, just like her gran used to. It all looked and smelled divine.

"Good Morning sleeping beauty." Tara sang to her as she turned around as she heard Sookie's footsteps.

"Morning to you too Cinderella, to what do I owe the honour of your cooking?" She teased back.

"I'm making it my mission to put some meat back on your bones before you off and leave us to live on salad leaves and low fat this and that." Tara jested.

"I'll make sure to eat plenty of fried foods and butter, just to stop you worrying _Mom_." She bantered back, enjoying the light-hearted mood.

"Yeah, yeah…you just wait. Those city folks'll have ya swearing off carbs and eating like a bird before a month is out if you're not careful. I've seen Sex and the City, they eat...like nothing!" She was serious now, taking to heart the eating habits of a group of fictional New York women.

Sookie laughed out loud as she pilfered a piece of crispy bacon from its resting place on a greasy paper towel.

"I suppose I'll be drinking cocktails daily and having sex with random men every night then too?" She'd seen this programme and few times when her gran had gone to bed and it shocked her innocent eyes and ears. She may just have to rent a few seasons on DVD to pick up tips though.

Shreveport was hardly New York, but she'd have to change her small town thinking and grow up a little. She'd been joking about the cocktails and random sex, but if Amelia was true to her word about going out to the bar she talked about, there would probably be both involved.

Tara crowed with laughter at her comment, knowing full well that Sookie was just _not_ that type at all. She might forget to eat properly, but her virgin sensibilities would keep her legs firmly shut…for a while anyway.

"Come on city girl, lets eat our greasy breakfast and then you can go get the keys to your new life."

They sat at the table, contentedly munching on bacon, sausage and pancakes washed down with copious amounts of coffee and talked about their plans for moving their stuff.

Sookie helped Tara clean up the breakfast things and then went upstairs to shower. She pulled out a pretty summer dress and flip flops, dried and styled her hair into a high ponytail and put on a little light makeup.

Grabbing her purse and the documents necessary for completing the paperwork at the property agency, she said farewell to Tara, who was going to move her stuff in today and made her way out to her car.

She sang to her favourite songs as she sped towards the city, which consisted of a medley of strong minded female artists that made her feel better about her break-up. Stopping only when she reached the city, to look at her directions to the animal shelter, it took a further fifteen minutes to reach the location which was down a long track that led to a farm setting.

Parking up her car, she made her way over to the main reception and announced that she had an appointment set up to see the puppies advertised. The girl behind the counter cooed over how cute the puppies were and how Sookie was going to love them of first sight. She was pretty sure she was in love with them already, she'd got a vision of them in her dreams which now matched the one's playing in the girls mind and she smiled at the coincidence.

A weathered looking man of about fifty or so came strolling in, a broad grin plastered on his face and an equally warm gaze. He introduced himself as Pete and Sookie did the same with a handshake, instantly she could hear from his thoughts that he was pleased that she looked like a kind and loving soul. Sookie smiled brightly back at him, pleased that she could evoke such warm thoughts just on sight. Normally, thoughts about her were dirty, jealous or downright cruel.

"Nice to meet you Sookie, follow me out to the puppy pens and I'll introduce you to the pups."

"I'm so excited to meet them; I've heard they're real cute. I have a few questions if you don't mind?"

"No problem, fire away." They walked and talked as Sookie asked her questions.

"What breed are they and have you named them?" She hoped that they hadn't and so she could choose her own names. Her luck was in again as Pete answered her question.

"They're real sweet little things; Norwegian Elkhound is their official breed. They'll grow up to be fiercely protective and loyal, but are big softies at heart. We've had to name them as they need a moniker to respond to in their training, but it's easy to rename them and train them to respond to another name, them being so young an' all." Sookie was pleased that they'd had some training but that renaming them would be easy.

Pete went on to tell her they were twelve weeks old and had been weaned by a surrogate and were now on a puppy diet, had their first shots but would need to get checked up in four weeks and so the vet could tell her what else they needed doing. They held a puppy training class twice a week which they had already started, but that they would need to continue if she wanted easily manageable dogs.

By the time they had walked to the pens, Pete had filled her in on all of this information and she was standing outside the puppy's pen. She instantly put her hand to her mouth at the sight of them; they were just as she'd imagined. Black, grey and white fluff balls with adorable tails that curled towards their backs and the prettiest golden eyes she'd ever seen. It was definitely love at first sight and when he opened their pen to let them out, Sookie dropped to her knees as they ran to greet her, jumping all over her and letting out little howls of joy. She laughed with her own joy as the wolfy little bundles licked and nibbled at her as they danced around playfully and wagged their little tails when she tickled them under ears.

"I can see we've got a winner here, they've not responded this well to anyone before. What d'ya think Sookie, you wanna be their new mommy?" Pete laughed as she snuggled them both to her, one in each arm.

"Absolutely Pete, they're adorable. When can I take them?" She'd barely been there five minutes but she knew straight away that they were special and that they'd be great companions. Having two dogs meant that they'd be company for each other when she had to work and two guard dogs were always better than one, not forgetting she got double the love.

"Well, I can tell that you're a natural with them and we've already run a standard check on you, so it's really a case of when you're ready. We have all the equipment here that you might need, but you don't have to take 'em today." Pete was super keen to see the pups go to a good home and approved of Sookie the instant the pups took to her. It was always a good sign.

"I'm moving into my new house on Saturday and could do with a chance to get settled in, I'll need to get all the stuff they need too, how about Monday next week?"

She had the furniture delivery Saturday afternoon and wanted Sunday to get her home all set up. Work didn't start for another week or so, so she'd have plenty of time to settle the pups into their new home.

Eventually she had to tear herself away from the pups to go to the rental agents to get her keys, so with a few dozen kisses and promises to be back soon, she strolled back with Pete to the office and signed the necessary paperwork to officially 'adopt' the pups. Sookie wanted to call them something that reflected their breed that sounded strong and powerful. She'd have a good think about it before she picked them up the following week.

After the paperwork was done, she spent a small fortune on doggy paraphernalia including bowls, food, bedding, leashes, collars, toys and a host of equipment to groom them with. She'd need suitable equipment in her car to transport them like a carrier or a sectioned off area at the back. This fact would have some impact on what sort of car she'd need if she ever needed to travel with them.

She said her goodbyes to Pete and headed off into another district of Shreveport to the agency, where after twenty minutes, six months rent up front and a hefty deposit (because of the dogs); she was the new tenant of 'Freya's Cottage'. She couldn't help but wonder if the owner of the exclusive estate was Scandinavian as the little community was called 'Nordic Pines' and the other houses were all named after Norse gods, she would have to ask Amelia. That gave her a wonderful idea for the pups names and she decided that Thor and Sif would be ideal.

There was a pet store across the street from the agency, so she went in to see if she could get identity tags made up and was pleased to find out they made them whilst you waited. The dogs were already micro chipped but she figured it would be nice for them to have their names attached to their collars too.

Whilst they were being engraved, she darted in the coffee shop next door and got herself a takeaway cappuccino. It was normally a luxury for Sookie to have such fancy and expensive coffee – it was unheard of in Bon Temps but not so in the city. In fact she never knew there were so many different ways you could get your coffee and wondered what the fuss was about. Her frothy coffee was sublime though, so decided she would be open to trying new things. She brought a sub to go with her coffee, seeing as she'd made it past lunch without anything to eat.

The tags were ready and it only seemed sensible to take a look at her new home before heading back to Bon Temps, that way she could make a note of anything she needed before coming back Saturday.

Following the directions that Bonnie had given her, she headed out to the north of the city where the built up areas gave way to residential areas and parkland, eventually coming to the small but perfectly formed community of 'Nordic Pines'. Bonnie had faxed over her details to the guard on the gate and he gave her a pass that she could display on her windscreen and a welcome pack of information about what security she could expect from them. It was very thorough and she'd wondered how she'd managed to stumble upon such a fantastic house at such a great price. Perhaps the higher powers at work were finally looking down upon her, granting her the break she needed. Not likely though.

It was around two in the afternoon by now and she counted down the numbers of the houses until she found hers, number two, nestled in a corner of the circular estate. It was even more beautiful than the pictures and was now positive of the Scandinavian influence the landlord had over the houses here. They were all timber framed with a mix of natural materials and glass to look like a cross between modern architecture and classic lakehouse. Her's was one of the smaller two bedroomed properties that had a yard that overlooked the lake. Apparently the landlord lived next door in a much larger house, also with the same view. She wondered how old her vampire landlord was and whether she'd get to see him at all. Bonnie and Amelia had assured her that he was a decent landlord, but also made sure that all tenants abide by the community rules. They seemed pretty straightforward and acceptable to Sookie, so there was no problem.

She took her uneaten sub and still warm coffee with her as she got out of her car and headed to the front door. She smiled at the ironwork that formed the letters and number of her cottage and made the first tentative step inside after turning the lock.

The floors were made of distressed pine and stone which she was happy about. It meant that the dogs wouldn't destroy a luxury carpet that she would have to replace. The small entrance hall opened out into the living room which was joined by a small combined dining area. Following the room around she noticed what must be a dining area that joined onto a bright and modern kitchen. The whole of the back of the house from dining area to kitchen had a series of glass sliding doors that lead to a patio and a gently inclined lawn that stretched about a hundred feet down to a shingle beach. The lake water lapped at the shingle making a soothing ripple and the breeze gently wheezed through the tall trees that she was sure weren't indigenous to Louisiana, although she knew pines grew in the state. It was magical and she wondered what it looked like at night with the moon reflecting off the water and the sound of night creatures mixed in with the lapping waves at the shore. Bliss, she imagined.

She stopped to eat her sub and finish her coffee before moving through the kitchen. She passed through a small laundry room, a small bathroom that ran adjacent to the hallway and a smaller room that could be used as an office or den. There was an open staircase leading upstairs and she bounded up them two at a time, eager to see the bedrooms and bathroom.

There was one large bedroom and another smaller guest room. The guest room and main bathroom were to the front of the house and the master bedroom stretched across the whole of the back of the house with its own balcony looking over the garden and lake. Each property was designed with enough distance between so that you couldn't see into each others' windows or gardens. She wouldn't have to make sure she didn't sunbathe topless or go out onto her balcony before she was dressed.

She was excited that she'd get to make a start on filling up her new home in less than twenty four hours from now. Hoyt had agreed to come back with her after car shopping and help put together any items that needed assembly and to make sure all her heavier items were moved to the right rooms.

The bathroom was simple but luxurious, with a separate bath and shower, toilet and vanity. The floors were slate, like the kitchen and contrasted beautifully with the pristine white of the tub and other fixtures. She decided to take a closer look at the yard and garage which was integral, both exceeding her expectations. Before she left, she made sure the electricity was turned on and so she could set the boiler and turn the refrigerator on. There was an alarm system but she figured she would work out how to set that later when she had more time. She wanted to head back to Bon Temps before it got dark.

With a final look around and a list made, she unloaded her puppies stuff into the garage and headed back to Bon Temps. She'd already given up calling her grans house home. This was her home now.


	5. Chapter 5

**DARK vs LIGHT : DAY vs NIGHT**

**A/N: I can't express how grateful I am to receive so many reviews. It makes my day and an old(ish) gal happy! If you're interested in my picture inspiration for Odin/Sif and Sookie's house and Fangtasia dress, please PM me and I'll email you. For those desperate for a bit of Eric (aren't we all?) Ch6 will be all about our sexy Viking and he's going to be one big naughty vampire...**

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**Chapter 5 - Sookie**

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When she got back to Bon Temps, Tara was once again cooking up a storm filling the kitchen with delicious aromas of fried chicken and peaches.

"Hey Tara, somethin' smells good!" She beamed at her friend, who was swinging her hips to a song on the radio as she stood at the stove.

"Oh hi Sook. I just love your grans chicken, got a cravin' for it and you had the making's for it, so I figured…" They shared a look, knowing that this would be the last meal they would share for a while and she was touched by Tara's gesture.

"It's the best! Thanks for this Tara, I really appreciate y'all going to this trouble." She looked towards the kitchen table which was set for two with grans nice china and a small vase of wildflowers in the middle.

"Hey, after all the times you've fed me and taken me in, I figured it was the least I could do. Come on, it's ready, sit." Tara steered Sookie to one of the chairs and pushed her shoulders down in a clear display that she intended to serve her.

Sookie couldn't help but feel a little emotional at her best friends attentiveness, she'd really missed her friendship and was determined to not let them drift apart again. Tara placed two plates on the table and sat, so Sookie took advantage of the moment and clasped her friends hand in hers and looked at her earnestly.

"You're a good friend Tara, let's not ever drift away from each other…like before, OK?" A single tear rolled down Sookie's cheek and Tara's eyes turned glassy.

"You too Sook. Anyhow, I'll be bugging you all the time that you'll wish you never said that. Now stop with the mushy talk, I don't wanna cry tonight, I promised myself I wouldn't." Tara was forcing a wide smile, trying hard not to let her tears betray her.

Sookie tucked into her dinner, sighing in pleasure at the comforting home cooked food that her gran always used to cook. She filled Tara in her day and showed her a picture of the pups that she had taken on her phone. They crooned over the gorgeous little fluffballs as she told her all about them.

That reminded her, she still needed to sort out a new phone. Maybe she could do that online too and get it sent to the new house? She made a note to do it the next chance she got.

Tara was keen to see her new place and they made a date to get together the following week to have a small housewarming party. They'd have it the following weekend when they could have a barbecue outside during the day; it would be too far for everyone to drive back late at night.

They cleaned up their dishes and retreated to the living room with big bowls of baked peaches and ice cream, then talked the night away about old times and their plans for the future.

After a nice long chat, Sookie decided to put the news on. She remembered Amelia saying that vamps were going to 'come out of the coffin' tonight and it'd probably be all over the news.

She was right, every single channel was showing news, a debate, a TV series or movie related to vampires. The news channels were repeating a statement by a vampire representative on a continuous loop. They wanted to mainstream into society and this would be possible by a new synthetic blood substitute that would give them sustenance without the need to rely entirely on humans. Many were keen to integrate into society and have similar if not the same rights as humans. They had their own laws to abide by and the relevant authority to uphold these laws, but they would also adhere to human laws too. The more light-hearted programmes talked about what it was like to be bitten by a vampire and how to recognise one. They skirted over a few of the facts Amelia had given me, but there was no mention of their 'glamour'.

They would have rules about 'feeding' if they continued to feed from humans, but it would have to be consensual and not in public. No doubt Amelia's friends bar would be flooded with people eager to find out what real vampires were like. Hopefully, by the time they went to the club the following week, the fuss would have died down.

For a while Tara and Sookie discussed the new revelation and it made Sookie realise that she could probably tell Tara the truth about Mr Compton.

Their yawns put a halt to their conversation but before they had the chance to take themselves off up to bed, there was a knock at the door. It was past 11pm, so it was rather late for visitors, but after a few home-made cocktails, she was feeling brave enough to answer the door.

"Let me get that, you…STAY!" she pointed at Tara with a giggle, like she was an obedient dog.

She wished she hadn't got up, because before she reached the bolt she noticed the void of thoughts, it was a vampire. Fucking Bill Compton! Why did he have to come knocking tonight? She was really enjoying herself but the guy was an atmosphere killer. She sighed and opened the door.

"Mr Compton? It's rather late…" She looked disapprovingly at him, willing him to get the message to just leave her alone already.

"I apologise for the lateness of the hour Miss Stackhouse, but I was out for a walk and thought I saw prowler on your premises…would you like me to check your grounds for you?" She couldn't read his mind, but she knew there wasn't any prowler, she would have heard their thoughts. _What a creep!_

"I didn't see or hear anything suspicious. I thank you for your offer, but I have a friend here and we can take care of ourselves. I'll call the police if I'm concerned about anyone." She crossed her arms in front of her chest in defiance, hoping that he got the double meaning in her reply.

"Are you sure you wouldn't like to invite me in and so I can check that your property is secure?" He was looking at her intently now and she could feel the pressure in her head increasing just like it happened the first time she met him. Asshole! He was trying to get into her head wasn't he? That could be the only explanation. His dark eyes bore into hers and then he frowned, realising that she once again hadn't responded to his hypnotism...glamour or whatever it was he was trying to do.

Sookie shook her head and reiterated her previous statement. "No thank you Mr Compton, we are just fine. Now, we're off to bed now, so if you'll excuse us."

As she went to close the door he tried to stop her but was prevented by some invisible barrier and that pleased her no end. That's right! Vampires needed an invitation to enter a humans home.

She looked to Bill who's face flashed with frustration and didn't like what she saw in his eyes one bit. Gone was the gentlemanly façade, only to be replaced with a fierce look of anger and malice. Before he could say another word, she slammed the door shut, locked and bolted it. The slamming door alerted Tara, who had come to her side to find out what the problem was.

Sookie placed her finger to her lips to indicate that Tara should be quiet and they moved back from the door into the living room, where she drew the heavy curtains over the windows. He was still on her porch but after a minute or two, she detected his vacant mind moving away until she could sense him no more.

Letting out a big sigh, she turned to Tara who was looking at her wide eyed, desperate to ask her what the hell was going on.

"Sorry Tara, but that man at the door was a vampire. He's my new neighbour Mr Compton and I don't trust him one bit." She whispered, conscious that he might be able to hear them with his super-hearing (another news fact).

"A _vamp_! Oh Shit! What did he want?" Tara looked even more alarmed that it wasn't just a strange late night caller, but a dangerous fanged late night caller.

"Remember, he came by the other night to introduce himself? He gave me the creeps even then, but tonight he made out he saw a prowler, which is an outright lie…" she tapped her temple as she raised her eyebrows so Tara would know that she hadn't 'heard' any prowler. "I told him we didn't hear anything and that we were fine, but he wanted to check the house and asked me to invite him in…when I didn't he got pissed and tried to force his way in." Sookie's tone was grave and she hoped that tonight hadn't spooked her friend from wanting to live here.

"Asshole! You gotta invite vamps in right? That motherfucker ain't gonna be getting' in this house, no fuckin' way!" Tara was instantly sober and fired up ready for a confrontation.

"He's gone now but I'm sure he'll be back. Don't make eye contact with him Tara, I mean it! He tried to do some weird hypnotism thing on me to get me to invite him in and it didn't work. I can only think it didn't 'cos my brain is wired funny, but he may try it on you or J.B…just be careful." Sookie was afraid that Bill would return and that when he found out she had moved, he'd try it on with Tara.

"OK, sure thing. We should tell Sheriff Dearborn though, just to be on the safe side…" Tara said solemnly and Sookie nodded in agreement.

Sookie walked to the under-stairs closet where gran had kept the shotgun in and made sure it was loaded before taking Tara's hand and leading her upstairs. They were both a little scared as well as slightly drunk and decided to stay in the same room. Tara and Sookie both had their phones with them in case, so Tara sent a text to J.B who was out with the guys and asked him to crash at Sookie's as they'd been spooked.

They both stayed up, too nervous to sleep until J.B got there, instead taking their time to get ready for bed, whilst they looked at some of the old photo albums that Sookie had packed in boxes in her room.

Less than an hour later, there was the rumble of a truck and the uncomplicated thoughts of J.B's mind as he walked up the steps of the porch, before knocking. Tara bounded off the bed and down the stairs, calling out before she opened the door to check that it was him. He was alone and she opened the door, pulling him in quickly by the sleeve of his jacket before locking up again.

"What the hell Tara? What's goin' on?" He gave her a concerned look as he gripped her shoulders to turn her to face him.

"We had a vampire at the door...he's Sook's creepy new neighbour and he tried to force his way in!" She sounded less angry and more scared little girl in the arms of her beau.

J.B wasn't the sharpest tool in the box but he was a good boyfriend. "Damn dead motherfucker…I'm calling Bud right now, report his bloodsucking ass to the cops. I don't care that they wanna be out in public but no fanger gonna scare my girl!" He puffed out his chest in a show of masculinity and pulled his phone from his jeans pocket.

He called the local Sheriff and told him what had happened with Tara and Sookie, he wanted to talk to the girls so Tara took the phone upstairs to a drowsy Sookie and put it on speaker.

"Hey Bud, sorry to call so late, but we're kinda spooked." Sookie said apologetically.

"No problem Sookie, tell me what happened." Bud had known Sookie all her life and had been good friends with her gran.

"Well, a couple a nights ago a vampire by the name of Bill Compton moved into the old Compton house over near the cemetery…" she gestured in the direction of his house, even though they all knew where it was. "…he came to introduce himself and he was real creepy…he wasn't rude or threatening then, but tonight he made up some story about seeing a prowler and then I think he tried to hypnotise me or somethin' to get me to invite him in, cos I know they need to be invited…and he didn't like it when I didn't invite him and tried to push through the door, but something stopped him and then I slammed the door and locked it!"

It all came out in one long ramble which got increasingly hysterical and Tara had to calm her down. What Tara didn't realise was that Sookie was more afraid because of what Amelia had told her about vampires. Even though her new friend had reassured her that not all vampires were hostile and that she would be fine at the bar, this vampire seemed to have suspicious intentions.

"Shush now Sook, it's OK, Bud will make sure of that won't you?" She asked to the air as she rubbed Sookie's arms in comfort.

"Don't you fret now Sookie, I ain't had any dealings with vampires yet seein' as they all only just made themselves public, but his behaviour sounds mighty suspicious to me. I think me and Andy'll be paying a visit to him tomorrow night. You make sure that you're all locked up and try and get some sleep. J.B? You keep those girls safe OK? I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow." His reassuring tone was soothing to the frayed nerves of the girls.

"Sheriff, you should know that I'm moving out tomorrow to go live in Shreveport, but Tara and J.B are going to be living here. I don't know if it'll make any difference…" Sookie said matter of factly.

"Thanks for letting me know Sookie, I hope you'll be happy there. Adele would be real proud o'ya for making a life for yourself you know? As for Mr Compton, hopefully a warning will be enough to keep him away." Sookie crumpled at the mention of her gran and sank into Tara's arms.

In a muffled voice she thanked Bud and said goodnight.

"Thanks Sheriff." Tara and J.B called voiced together.

"OK girls, let's get you two settled in here and I'll take the spare room, if that's alright with you Sook?" He looked to Sookie with tired, concerned eyes for her answer.

"That's fine J.B, thanks for everything, for being here." She smiled up at her old friend, glad that Tara and she had their own guard for the night.

They settled down for the night and as Sookie lay there, she couldn't help feeling melancholy that this was her last night sleeping in her childhood bed, for the foreseeable future. But also, leaving amidst the tension of the evenings events was preying heavily on her mind. She hoped that the vampire wouldn't return and that as she was moving, he would lose whatever interest he had in her.

* * *

Sookie woke to a quiet house, the only noise audible was the wind rustling the leaves of the ancient trees outside. Tara was still fast asleep curled up beside her and she smiled at her relaxed face that was a million miles away from the irate and scared expression she wore last night.

Slipping her feet from under the covers, she left the blankets slip slowly off her as she rose as nimbly and quietly as possible, so as to not wake Tara. She grabbed her robe from the end of her bed and tiptoed across her room to open the door, hoping that the hinges didn't creak, but she was in luck as it opened silently and she slunk out.

After a quick visit to the bathroom, she used her many years of dodging the creaks from old and loose boards on the stairs and took in the rooms downstairs, ready to catalogue any signs of trespassers, but thankfully there were none. Breakfast would have to be a quick on as she needed to meet Hoyt in an hour, so she popped a pot of coffee on, hoping that the aroma would rouse the other two residents of her home and so she could say goodbye in person, rather than leaving a note.

She had devoured a bowl of cereal and a large cup of coffee before the sound of heavy footsteps sounded on the stairs. Tara and J.B appeared, a little bleary eyed but smiling and joined her at the table.

"Morning Sook." They groaned in unison.

"Too early for ya?" Sookie laughed at them, both had their chins resting on their hands.

"Yep, I'm used to getting up around midday on a Saturday." Tara yawned giving me a first class view of her tonsils.

"Me too." J.B said through another yawn.

"You two! Gran and I would've been up hours by now and would've had breakfast finished and cleared away! I only slept late 'cos of lastnight…" She laughed, but her laughter trailed off at the thought of creepy Compton.

"I know what you mean…it took me a while to fall asleep too. But don't you worry Sook, Bud will sort him out." Sookie hoped so, but what could Bud do against a vampire?

Sookie nodded in reassurance to her friend that she wasn't too worried and moved to take her breakfast things to the sink. Tara got herself and J.B some coffee and they sat at the table as Sookie washed her dishes.

When they were done and left on the drainer, she turned round to them, ready to say her goodbyes. She'd be going to Shreveport with Hoyt and then going straight to her new house.

"Well, I have to meet Hoyt real soon, so I'll see you guys soon, OK?" She didn't actually want to say 'goodbye', it wasn't like she wasn't going to see then again.

"You betcha! We'll take good care of your place Sook. You take care o'youself right?" Tara looked at her sternly, showing her true protective nature.

They hugged and J.B looked on quietly, smiling at the pair. "I will do Tara, you two too." She whispered into her ear.

J.B stood and Sookie gave him a hug and a smile. There was no need for any more words, Tara had said all that he would have. He'd never been particularly good with vocab and speeches, so left it simple.

Grabbing her bag, she went out to her car and opened the door and the trunk, ready to load her stuff in and then headed back inside. She'd repacked the photo albums they looked at the previous night and so had nothing to do but fill her car. J.B had already brought one down and was heading back up for the second. Tara and Sookie got the other two boxes that she had stowed in a corner that were fairly light and took them out the car.

After five minutes of negotiating the boxes into the car, what with the tiny vehicle having limited space, she was ready to go. With a fond last look to her home she waved to her friends and headed to Jason's where she'd agreed to meet Hoyt to hand over the keys.

She greeted Hoyt at Jason's door, handing him the keys straight away and she showed him where everything was in relation to the utilities and phone. He was free to do what he wanted in terms of the décor and furniture and looked like a child with a new toy and the prospect of making the place his own, out from under his momma's thumb.

They locked up and headed off to Shreveport in separate cars, seeing as Hoyt would need to come back to Bon Temps and Sookie would be staying in the city. Before they left, they'd had a quick chat about what type of car she wanted and how much she'd got to spend. She didn't have much preference about brand, just that it was reliable and would be able to transport the dogs around easily. Hoyt said he knew a couple of places and instructed her to follow him to the first one.

Sookie knew that this might be a long day, as she hadn't the first clue about cars but was relieved to find that she enjoyed looking at the different models and comparing them. They'd only made their way round the Chevy dealership and already she knew what she wanted and didn't want to waste any more time. She trusted Hoyt's knowledge that she'd be getting something to suit her and her needs and he was spot on with his selection. After near on an hour of Hoyt explaining every function and feature and a satisfying test-drive she decided on his choice and a further forty minutes and a hefty $25k payment later she was the proud owner of a brand new Chevy SUV. The dealership had agreed to take her sad little car to the scrapyard after fluttering her eyelashes at the salesman and so she drove away proudly in her new baby as excited as a girl can be after spending such a huge chunk of money.

She said thank you to her gran and her secret hoard of cash about a thousand times on the journey to her house. Why her gran had never used any of the money before perplexed her greatly. It could have been used to maintain and update the house and vehicles and Sookie could have gone to college. The attorney had not been very helpful when she had asked who this relative was that had bequeathed such a fortune to gran, his thoughts of the subject were vague and confused. This just left Sookie even more confused and a tad frustrated.

Hoyt had followed behind her and when they reached the guard gate, she let them know who he was and that she was expecting some deliveries today. They parked up in the driveway and Hoyt nodded in approval as he took in the house and it's immaculate surroundings.

"This is amazing Sook, you'll fit right in here I just know it." He beamed at her and she could tell from his thoughts that he was pleased that she'd got a good car now and a nice, secure place to live. He was as proud of her as a brother would be and although she knew that he had been keeping an eye on her ever since her brother went missing, she couldn't be more grateful for his help now.

She gave him a warm smile. "Thanks Hoyt, just wait til you see the inside and the yard!".

Dragging him by his hand as he laughed at her enthusiasm, she opened the door and gave him the tour of the house, ending up in the yard. They both marvelled in the lake view and he then went into handyman mode, announcing that he was going to check things out for me. He made his way around the house after bringing my boxes in that I'd transferred from my old to my new car, whilst I unpacked. He checked the security system and made sure it was set up for me and that there were extra fuses and bulbs in the utility room.

There really wasn't that much to do as the house was immaculate and the property agency kept on top on the maintenance, so they settled in the kitchen to make sandwiches with the few provisions she had brought with her. A grocery shop would be required, which she could later after Hoyt had left.

* * *

The week flew by and Sookie had settled happily into her new home with her new canine friends. She had yet to meet her landlord - she hadn't even seen or heard him at all and wondered if he was on vacation or business. It was the night that her and Amelia were going to the vampire bar and Sookie was more than nervous. Amelia and her had swapped numbers that day in the store and had been texting and calling each other like old friends. They'd visited each other nearly every night, sharing dinner and more of their past as the week went on.

Her friend had revealed that the bar was called 'Fangtasia' which had made her smile. Surely if vampires had a sense of humour to name a bar after a Mickey Mouse movie, then they can't be all that bad? They would be going this coming Friday night when the vampires would have been 'out' for a week.

She was out in the yard brushing the dogs when there was a knock at her door, sending the dogs into a barking frenzy. They scrambled inside to the front door, loyally trying to scare away anyone intent on causing her harm.

"Thank you kids, you can stop that barkin' now...I don't want you scarin' away my guest." They quieted as if they understood every word she said and she ruffled their ears affectionately and then instructed them to sit.

Amelia stood at the door, a huge clear bag over her shoulder which looked to be filled with hair styling equipment and every conceivable cosmetic known to woman. She grinned widely and smiled at the dogs, winking at them.

Reaching over to pull the bag off her shoulder for her, Sookie welcomed Amelia into the house and they went straight upstairs to start getting ready. Sookie was really excited about getting all dressed up and was determined to have fun that night. She pushed the thoughts of scary vampires out of her mind, having been reassured that although they had a scary side, but the ones Amelia knew were sociable and perfectly safe.

As they got ready, Amelia gave her the 101 on vampire etiquette that included what vamps expected of you, what they liked and what you shouldn't do. This included being subservient and obedient when required and no personal questions unless given permission. They didn't like silver or touching, unless you were up for some heavy petting, sex or biting. Having plenty of flesh on show was a turn on, especially necks, legs and breasts and she'd probably get asked to do all of the above, but it was her decision.

_What the hell! _ "So, let me get this right. They can disrespect you 'cos you're lower in the food chain than them, they can grope you but you can't touch them and if you flash enough flesh you're likely to be a blood donor?"

Amelia laughed heartily. "It's not quite that bad Sook...you know, gettin' bitten can actually be a turn on." The visual she gave Sookie of the same female vampire she talked about when they first met, was quite graphic and my cheeks burned hot with embarrassment. They were in bed together and she had bitten Amelia on her breast and neck Part of Sookie was mortified to be seeing something so intimate and sexual, but another part of her was curious as to how good it would feel.

The look Amelia gave her told her that she'd given her that image on purpose, and a wicked smile crept on her face.

"You're bad, showing me that. You'll corrupt me!" Sookie couldn't help but giggle naughtily.

"That's the plan honey...it won't be hard either, they'll be drooling over you in that dress tonight!" Amelia had zipped her up from hem to neck as the dress was so tight, it took two people to get it on. The gorgeous designer 'bandage style' dress was amazing; like nothing Sookie had seen or worn before. It clung to her every curve and pushed the girls up and out for all to see. There were little cut-outs on the side at thigh level, letting her tanned skin peek through the white elasticated material. It difference in colours contrasted stunningly.

"Wow! You look so hot...are you sure you don't swing my way Sook?" Sookie laughed, knowing Amelia was only teasing her but the compliment made her feel like a million bucks.

"Shut up and order us a taxi hot stuff!" Sookie swatted her friend on the arm playfully.

Amelia was also dressed to kill and promised Sookie that they'd have fun fighting the men off. She wasn't sure that she was ready to put herself out there, but Amelia gave her the confidence that she needed. By the time they were finished getting ready, the taxi had arrived to take them to the bar, so they grabbed their purses and headed out.

Sookie couldn't help feeling that tonight, she was going to have one hell of an introduction into the social life of the supernatural.


	6. Chapter 6

**DARK vs LIGHT : DAY vs NIGHT**

**A/N: **Thank you so, so much for all your reviews and adding me to your alerts. I apologise for not replying to reviews, but I do really appreciate them. I just don't have the time with everything going on in my life. I hope you like my naughty Eric and you'll be surprised at Sookie's behaviour in this chapter. But, what can I say when you've got an ex to wipe away? Girls just wanna have fun...

* * *

**Chapter 6 - Eric**

The last week had been thoroughly fucking enjoyable to say the least. Since the 'Great Reveal' the bar had been flooded with vampire wannabees and hoards of willing groupie blood-bags. I had fed and fucked from dusk til dawn every night and although it was pleasurable, it didn't take long for me to realise that being handed my food and sexual gratification on a platter, was just satisfying rather than thrilling.

_One week_. One _fucking_ week was all it took to me to get bored with the constant stream of willing deviants eager to submit to me, but you know how the saying goes... _you can always have too much of a good thing_. Now, the pretty faces blurred into one, their blood was unremarkable and one fuck was pretty much like the next. Of course, some were more skilled in giving oral or had a kinky streak, but there wasn't anything that surprised me in all my one thousand years. I'd done it _all. _

For several years now, I'd run the bar with my child Pam. Operating as a goth/vampire theme bar before the reveal, but now that vampires had made themselves public it was a bona fide vampire bar. Tourists and thrillseekers from all around the area flocked to see 'real live vampires' and did we love to exploit that! Pam had several ideas on how to do this, but one that I wasn't totally on board with was my own fanclub. Thanks to Pam and her twisted sense of humour it obviously paid off, because after only a few days it was obvious that women came in their droves to practically throw themselves at my feet in sacrifice, begging my to bite them and ravish them.

There was no doubt that I was an attractive man, I didn't need to look in the mirror to confirm that, although my ego liked it very much. Wherever I went, vampires and humans alike admired my statuesque physique and handsome face. Being 6ft 4 with blonde hair, blue eyes and an athletic muscular body that exuded power and virility made me virtually irresistible. Those that didn't fall at my feet immediately were easily seduced by my rugged, mischievous charm or glamour if need be. I'm vain_...I admit it._

Pam had also thought it amusing to have a 'throne' placed on the stage where I could view my subjects and admirers, therefore advertising my authority and having a clearer view of my next feed 'n' fuck. I found it entertaining at first, people watching was an underestimated pleasure; so much information or amusement could be found from just watching what was going on around you. It was this quiet contemplation that I found rewarding until the 'fangbangers', as Pam had daubed them, started to get too eager.

It hadn't taken long to realise how pathetic these attention seeking humans were. Their efforts to attract my attention with what they deemed was a turn-on for vampires was laughable. So, the bar had been 'goth style' before, but since it's overhaul over a week ago, we hoped to attract a wider clientele and hopefully some decent pussy. Pam's words, not mine.

Both Pam and I preferred the fairer sex, although it had not been unknown for me to indulge in men in my colourful past, but not for the last few hundred years. Now I preferred the soft, smooth fragrant skin of females any day.

What the fangbangers didn't know was that their idea of what turned me on was not PVC or leather, black make-up or collars and studs. It was untainted beauty, innocence and personality. The whores that threw themselves at my feet were only good for two things and neither of them were conversation or admiration.

In my existence I had learned to blend in with human society so well, that almost all that came across my never questioned my origin. I had, for hundreds of years, lived almost a savage lifestyle due to the century and my ancient maker. My maker was and still is a cruel, sadistic vampire thrice my age now and one that despised humans, going out of his way to inflict pain and suffering on his victims. Luckily, he had got bored of me and was keen to create a new child to make suffer his perverted whims when I grew too submissive. After three hundred years, I was released to go my own way to flourished in the world as it modernised. I learned to be cultured, educated and to appreciate beauty and refinement. But in all my years, I had never learned to love. I had never had a pet, or been bonded and had only created Pam out of loneliness. She had shown qualities that I could not ignore in a platonic companion; trust, loyalty and resilience. To love was to show weakness. I would never be weak, especially over a woman.

Tonight the bar was having what Pam dubbed a 'Ladies Night', which seemed totally unnecessary to me. We had had enough ladies in the club every night without drawing in more. She informed me that I was missing the point.

"And that is Pamela?"

"The 'ladies' will come because they get in free. The 'guys' will flock here like bees round a honeypot. Besides, the wet t-shirt competition is a real eye-opener..." Pam winked at her Master mischievously. I knew she was joking about the wet t-shirt competition, although the idea did appeal...

I shook my head at Pam's ingenuity, I shouldn't question it really - she'd learnt from the best...me. Maybe there would be something interesting to see in this competition if what I felt from Pam's excitement was anything to judge.

* * *

It was 10pm and the bar was nearly at capacity already. Pam was working the door and as it stood there was a 'one in one out' policy working. I had to leave my 'fans' and attend to some Sheriff business in my office, so missed seeing for myself the visual evidence of what made Pam's emotions rush from boredom to downright lust in just a second.

Just a moment before, Pam had sent the were-tiger John Quinn to wait in my office for a meeting about arranging my part of the Queen's annual Sheriff's ball that I was hosting at my private residence in a month's time. The queen, Sophie-Anne, wanted her most powerful Sheriff to host the ball as her royal residence had been devastated by hurricane Katrina, along with many of her other properties in New Orleans. She owned several homes, all of which had suffered some kind of damage and were still undergoing repairs, along with the main infrastructure of the city. Holding the event elsewhere seemed logical, if not inconvenient for me, but I could not deny my queen.

The arrangements for the ball were being co-ordinated by John Quinn's supe events company 'EEE', a fairly new venture that had successfully hosted the event last year and he was again called upon to continue organising it for years to come. I hated organising parties, it was Pam's area really, so when I'd had enough of the boring details I made it clear to Quinn that was going to hand him over to Pam to continue. Through their bond, Pam felt like she was having far too much fun whilst I was drowning in boredom and John Quinn's awful tiger stench.

"Quinn, Pam will be better qualified to go over the minor details. Come, sit at the bar and she can handle the rest." I stood and motioned for Quinn to follow me out and he headed in the direction of the bar.

On my way back to my throne I caught sight of Pam standing at the opposite end of the bar chatting animatedly with her witch lover Amelia and a mystery blonde who had her back to me. They were all laughing and Pam was positively drooling over Amelia's friend.

Using our bond, I summoned Pam. I had noticed that all the males in the club were focused in their direction and I was intrigued to find out who her new friend was, and also to let her know she needed to finish up with Quinn. Pam looked in my direction and the other two females turned to see who she was focused on. In that instant, two things happened.

Quinn made eye contact with 'mystery blonde' and growled, in turn the woman gasped in surprise. She seemed to recognise Quinn, but looked very uncomfortable about seeing him here.

"Sookie? What the fuck are you doing here?" Quinn was in her face and had hold of her arm possessively. It was obvious they had history. Was she Quinn's?

It would certainly be a shame, she was gorgeous and I would definitely have seduced her had she been unclaimed and willing. She had sexy curves that looked poured into her skin tight dress; a dress that flaunted a luscious body with its contrast of white against radiant tanned skin. My eyes roved over her plentiful cleavage and up the column of her flawless neck that was partially bared. She had the most stunning turquoise blue eyes and plump red lips. Long, untainted natural blonde hair cascaded down her back all the way to the curve of her ass, which was sumptuously rounded above her bare tanned legs. There was something ethereal about her and it seemed that it wasn't just I who was captivated by her. She was clearly the most beautiful being in the bar and had already captured the attention of most of the males.

Watching the scene with curiosity, I noticed that the woman cringed in pain at Quinn's grip. It wasn't my place to intervene in human or were relationships and wasn't sure if this woman belonged to Quinn or not. I stayed in my seat, and released Pam from her summons and so she could monitor the situation.

"Ow Quinn, let go of me! I don't answer to you...and what are _you_ doing here?" She tried to twisted her arm out of his grip but he held on tight as he looked her up and down.

"None of your fucking business! Are you a vampire groupie now or what? You certainly have changed the way you dress, you look like a whore!" His harsh words had an profound effect on her, as she flinched and looked down at his hand that was grasping her.

"I said.. GET YOUR HAND OFF ME! I don't dress for you anymore Quinn and it's not me who's the whore...it's why you dumped me, remember?" She pulled out of his grasp with all her strength and moved closer to her friend and Pam.

Uncharacteristically, Pam was looking at Quinn like she could spit nails in his eyes. There was no love lost between Pam and the were and treating her new friend in such a manner was obviously raising her hackles. She stepped closer to him, baring her fangs in warning, clearly intent on ending these dramatics as they were starting to attract attention.

"Huh, I never would have figured you were holding out for a dead man to break you in!" Quinn laughed at her and barged past Pam to the entrance. The woman, Sookie turned to Amelia who had her arm round her and looked like she was going to cry.

"This was a bad idea coming here, I want to go home Amelia." The woman whispered sullenly at her friend.

"Oh no you don't! I am not going to let that asshole ruin your first night out since you split up...we are going to get smashed and have some fun. Don't listen to him Sookie, he's just jealous 'cos you look great and have all the eyes on you." Amelia, the witch was trying hard to persuade her friend to stay. She seemed to be seriously lacking in confidence for someone dressed so sexily.

"I'm not so sure that I like all the attention Amelia...I feel a bit uncomfortable here." She glanced around at the the males that were staring in her direction with hungry eyes. Including mine.

Listening to their conversation with interest, I wondered why she had come to a vampire bar dressed so invitingly and then not enjoy the attention. From the interpretation of Quinn's words, they must have been a couple and he let her go untouched. That piece of news was very interesting indeed and might just turn around an otherwise boring night. I did very much enjoy a challenge and the treat of virgin blood.

I summoned Pam, who had brief words with the two women before coming over. Amelia and Sookie headed off towards the ladies bathroom and Pam joined me on the stage. Pam was still riled at Quinn's behaviour.

"That fuckin' asshole tiger! I was quite enjoying myself before he rudely interrupted. What the hell is his problem?" Pam slumped down in a smaller throne-like chair by my side.

"It seems the blonde is his problem...I take it that she is one of Amelia's friends and Quinn is her...ex-boyfriend?"

"Ex-fiancee. I don't blame her, he's a prize dick." Pam spat in disdain.

"Apparently he initiated their separation, as she is not adequate enough a lover I heard." I smiled, indulging my child in her need for gossip. Pam loved to gossip about the patrons.

"Oh Eric, I swear...you are going to come in your designer pants when you meet her! She's _untouched_, not a lousy lay. Really sweet and innocent. A real southern belle. And...you'll never believe where she just moved to?" Pam's eyebrows were in her hairline, waiting for my to reply.

The confirmation that she was sweet and innocent sparked my interest even further, so I gestured for her to continue. It was hard to act nonchalant, especially when Pam had just described a vampires wet dream in female form.

"The house next door to yours in your Nordic Pines community!" Pam grinned excitedly and I knew exactly what was going through her mind. She was playing matchmaker.

"Really." I nodded my head in reply, like she'd just told me it was going to rain tomorrow. Inside, I was smiling; this night just got better and better.

"Hey, they're coming out. Sookie was upset and thinking of leaving, which I am sure you'll agree, is not going to happen. I'm going to see if she wants a drink." Pam went to leave, but I stopped her.

"Ask them over to my booth and summon Ginger." My child quirked an eyebrow and gave me a knowing smile.

Pam had always made a particular effort to find me the best 'donor' on offer when I was indisposed to do so myself and it seemed tonight was no exception. This time, I sensed Pam's excitement, like she expected to witness some kind of fawning adoration from me to the woman. Sure, she was damn sexy and I would fuck her for certain, but I wanted no more than that. Once I'd taken her innocence, I'd lose my interest.

Before the two friends had made their way back to their original place at the bar, Pam intercepted them and led them towards my booth. I was sat there in a blink and positioned myself and so I could sit next to the woman called Sookie.

Even though I was vampire, I rose as the ladies approached in a display of old fashioned manners. If these women had been mere fangbangers, I would have done no such thing, they bowed to _me_ not the other way around. These were friends of Pam's and therefore worthy of some morsel of respect.

"Eric, you know Amelia. This is her friend Sookie Stackhouse." That's right, I'd remembered approving the application to rent my house out in the name of Miss S. Stackhouse. Up close Sookie was even more beautiful than from a distance, even with my enhanced vision. There was a glow to her skin that was more than just good health and tanned skin.

I nodded to Amelia in greeting and turned to Sookie, who looked nervous to be in my presence. She bravely went to shake my hand and then stopped herself, possibly realising that vampires don't shake hands or receive personal contact without invitation. Before she could retract her hand, I caught her fingers and pulled her hand up to my lips, kissing her knuckles lightly. The scent of her skin was sweet and fragrant, the aroma tugging on the outskirts of my recognition. I caught her eyes as I pulled my lips away, but kept hold of her hand for a moment.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Sookie." I purred. I wouldn't need to try too hard with this one, she was quivering with desire from just my chaste greeting. My eyes roamed all over her body appreciatively. She had the hourglass figure of a real woman; an ample bosom that I just wanted to squeeze and lick and bury my face in, and her hips. Fuck! Her curvaceous hips dipped into into her waist begging for me to run my hands over and hold her tight to me. Her hair was reminiscent of the women of my human life; long and tousled down to her waist and an iridescent pale gold. Hers was a body that I wanted to fuck and bite until only the dawn stopped me.

"Thank you...Eric, likewise." She blushed and broke eye contact with me and I led her by the hand to sit next to me in the booth.

I noticed that Pam and Amelia shared an amused look and I rolled my eyes at their predictability. Ginger came over and took their drinks orders. It seemed the friends were eager to forget the unpleasantness of before and enjoy a few drinks as they ordered cocktails.

"Pam tells me that you have moved into one of my houses on the Nordic Pines community. How do you like it?" I surprised myself with my need to converse with this woman, I could just glamour her then take her to my office for a fuck, but where would the fun be in that?

Maybe she was a little shy and possibly still a little shaken from her encounter with Quinn. I noticed that she had fingerprint bruises appearing on her arm where he had grabbed her.

"Yes, Freya's cottage. It's beautiful, I love it there." Sookie was rubbing her arm, obviously in discomfort so I took her hand again and placed other hand softly over the tender skin allowing the coolness of my body temperature to soothe her.

I had no idea why I was being so thoughtful, but convinced myself that it was part of my seduction. Sookie seemed to enjoy the sensation, her pulse raced at my touch and her breathing quickened. I could feel Pam's continued amusement mixed with satisfaction and resisted the urge to growl at her. She could feel how horny Sookie made me and I wouldn't put it past her if she'd made a wager with Amelia as to how long I could last before I had to ravish her friend.

* * *

Ginger arrived back at their table with their cocktails and TruBloods and I removed my hand from Sookie's arm but kept her hand in mine gently fondling her fingers. Taking a swig of my blood with my free hand, I licked my lips. Fuck, this stuff tasted like shit! I didn't really need to feed, but the intoxicating scent of Sookie was so alluring, I craved to taste her blood but this putrid mix would have to do for the moment.

The warmth and softness of Sookie's skin was inviting and although she looked a tad embarrassed at my forward behaviour, she didn't attempt to remove her hand. It was obvious that she was enjoying my attention, so I removed my arm and placed it on the back of the booth, above and behind Sookie's shoulders. Pam and Amelia were turned to each other and were talking about her latest magical assignment that we wanted her involved in. So that left Sookie and I to amuse ourselves.

"Thank you...for soothing my arm. It feels much better now." Sookie said to me shyly.

"Quinn's behaviour was despicable, he should pick on somebody his own size. Injuring such beautiful skin should be a crime." I said, running my finger down her shoulder to her wrist, causing her to bite her lip.

"That's very kind of you. Quinn was always possessive and it seems like that's not going to stop." Sookie sipped her cocktail thoughtfully.

I drew my finger back up her arm to her shoulder and fingered a tendril of her hair. It was as soft and enticing as it looked and I briefly fantasized about her hair trailing across my chest as she writhed on top of me.

"I would be just as possessive if my woman were as beautiful as you Sookie." She blushed five shades of pink at my compliment. I looked intently at her, the extraordinary colour of her eyes was so enticing I wondered for a moment who was mesmerising whom. Breaking eye contact I allowed my eyes to roam over the contours of her face to her succulent exquisite red lips.

"I'm not _his _or anybody's woman...not anymore." She said with vehemence. Getting confirmation that she was unclaimed was very satisfying. The stirring she caused in my loins made me want to own up and claim her for myself.

"That is very good news..._for me_." I couldn't help myself but brush my knuckles across the flushed skin of her cheek and she closed her eyes momentarily before breathing in and out deeply. I was affecting her with just a touch and the thought of her reactions to my when I got her into bed made my hard as a rock.

"Why, Mr Northman...are you trying to seduce me?" She asked coyly.

"_Oh yes._" I replied boldly, seductively.

Sookie actually whimpered at my admission and reached for her drink, gulping it down in one, which seemed to draw Amelia out of her conversation with Pam.

"Hell Sook, steady on girl! So...what's next Sook?" The witch asked her friend as she raised her empty glass.

It took Sookie a moment to take her eyes off me and she bit her lip in deliberation.

"Do you wish to see the cocktail menu, or may I suggest a drink for you?" I supplied.

"Do you know a cocktail that begins with 'O'? Amelia suggested we have cocktails that follow the letters of our christian names, so...I had a 'Silver Bullet' first." She gave a little smile in reference to the silver joke.

I couldn't help but laugh out loud. "An ironic choice for our cocktail menu don't you think?"

"It was pretty good, but I don't think you'd have enjoyed it..." Sookie licked her lips nervously and I felt it all the way to my groin.

"I have two _O's_ for you. How about a 'One night stand' followed by an 'Orgasm a la orange'?" I raised my eyebrows at her and gave her my best panty-dropping smile. It seemed to work as her eyes were like saucers and she was doing her best to heat the bar with her blush. _Delicious_.

Amelia and Pam howled with laughter which seemed infectious, as Sookie joined in too, albeit a little bashfully. Watching Sookie's mannerisms was entertaining; I found I was very much enjoying her company and well as fantasizing about how many ways I'd be fucking her later; which was unheard of for me.

Over the course of the next hour, the ladies were enjoying their third cocktails and Sookie was getting quite bold with me. The alcohol she had already consumed was obviously starting to loosen her up, as she did nothing to stop me when I placed my hand on her thigh and ran my fingers gently back and forth over her silky skin towards the hem of her dress. I was itching to throw her over my shoulder and take her down the basement where I could show her how much of an effect she was having on my control. Having to restrain myself in public was getting very hard; the same could be said about the beast in my pants who was eager to be unleashed.

I couldn't help feel smug at the reactions of all the other male vampires who were practically salivating over her, especially when she would respond to me by touching my arm or leaning in close to me. Her demeanour was more and more tactile as the evening wore on and I found myself enjoying the build up of sexual tension between us.

Now she had loosened up considerably, she wasn't so shy to engage me in conversation. She asked me about the design of the house she was renting from me and my inspiration behind it, and although it wasn't quite the conversation I wanted to have with her, I found myself enjoying her company. It was only interrupted by Amelia demanding that Sookie dance with her.

She looked to me to move out and so she could pass me as she was on the inside of the booth, so I turned and placed my hands on her curvy hips and lifted her over my lap, settling her on the floor in her sexy silver 'fuck me' shoes.

Watching Sookie on the dancefloor, surrounded by fangbangers and horny vampires made my blood rush. She stood out a mile, like a diamond in a coalmine, a golden light in a sea of black. The fangbangers looked at her with jealousy in their eyes and the vampires looked at her like she was dinner. Pam and I watched hungrily as the two women danced in a carefree and sultry fashion, curling their hips and raising their arms above their heads. Little did they realise that they were enticing every vampire in the bar with the display of their most erogenous pulse points, but every human male was drinking in the way their bodies moved.

The music Pam had chosen for 'Ladies Night' was pure girl pop and both Sookie and Amelia were lapping it up, along with many of the female fangbangers. It wasn't the normal heavy rock or hard trance which kept the more regular goth types off the dancefloor; the music was purely to get the most girls on the dancefloor to 'entertain' the vamps here. It was working as fangs were dropping left, right and centre as Sookie's glorious scent intensified, the warmer she got from dancing. There was definitely something 'other' to her and it was driving the vampire clientele wild...including me.

After dancing to a medley of Beyonce, Rhianna and some girl bands that I didn't recognise, 'our' women made their way back to the booth, eager to rest their feet. I had taken the liberty of ordering their next drinks and offered Sookie her's as she approached.

She stood for a moment and sipped on the strawberry flavoured drink, letting out a sensuous moan of appreciation that went all the way to my cock. An involuntary rumble resounded in my chest at the noise and was lucky Pam wasn't paying attention - she was far too engrossed in feeding Amelia her cocktail to notice.

"Mmm, this is delicious, what's it called?" Sookie asked me as she licked her lips.

I smiled mischievously. "Kiss me Quick" Sookie giggled tipsily and took another big gulp from her glass.

What she did next both surprised and thrilled me. She slipped her legs between mine and placed her luscious backside on my lap and wrapped her arms around my neck before leaning in to kiss me, the residue of strawberries and rum purposely left for me to taste. I met her lips and swiped my tongue over her offering. For once, I didn't recoil at the taste of human food. Both she and the cocktail tasted divine. I couldn't help the groan that left my throat and wanted to taste more but she pulled away.

I growled and pulled her closer to me, sliding my hand down the curve of her hips to her backside. She just giggled girlishly. "You said it was a Kiss Me Quick, so that's what you got."

Her comment made me chuckle; I couldn't understand why the shy, innocent creature that walked into the bar wasn't afraid of me, even if she had consumed a fair amount of alcohol. I found myself wanting to indulge her playful behaviour and fuck it if Pam was right again! Within the space of an hour or so, this woman had captured my interest like no other since Pam. She was a mixture of all the qualities I admired in a woman even though she was sexually naive, but that was a easily remedied.

Of course the fangbangers who lusted after me noticed all too much how interested I was in this beautiful creature in my lap, but they all had too healthy a dose of fear attempt to lure me away from her. Sookie's behaviour towards me was refreshing, I found her innocent flirting more of a turn on than blatant lust. I enjoyed her attention, I wanted her to be attracted to me for something other than a dangerous thrill.

Sookie sighed and looked over her shoulder at the stares that were boring a hole in the back of her head. "How do you handle it night after night?"

I wasn't sure what as to what she was referring, but I liked how she questioned me so candidly.

"Handle what?" I leaned in and ran my nose across her jaw and slid my hand up her body, grazing the swell of her breast causing her to inhale sharply.

"The attention...your 'fans'?" She replied breathily as she frowned at the unwashed masses.

"They're all staring at us, the women hate me but want to be me, the men...well they want what you've got." My roaming hands were causing her pulse to beat frantically.

"Ignore them. But do tell me Sookie...what _do I_ have?" I was thinking that she would say 'me', but instead she surprised me.

"Irresistible looks, a sexy smile...a sinful body." There was the blush again, even if the alcohol had given her mouth permission to run riot with her thoughts. I could tell she was highly aroused and the smell of her desire mixed in with the scent of her blood was nearly overwhelming, even to me.

"Do you find me irresistible Sookie?" My eyes locked onto hers in an attempt to glamour the answer out of her but was surprised when she squeezed my hand hard and tutted at me. Her whimpered words against my ear made my skin shiver.

"_Naughty_ Eric! You don't have to glamour me to tell you I find you irresistible and downright sexy." Pulling back slightly to meet her eyes, it was obvious that my thrall had been unsuccessful and her honesty was due to her inebriation. I wasn't sure whether to be angry or intrigued; I'd never had I met a human that could resist my glamour.

"How did you do that? _What are you_?" She looked at me with wide, frightened eyes, her demeanour instantly scared of my questions. Casting her eyes down, she blindly reached back for her drink and swallowed the remainder in once gulp but as she turned back to me with a pensive frown, her mouth partially open in anticipation of her confession, she suddenly froze in my lap.

"NO!" Sookie screamed and flung her arms around me as a shot rang out from across the bar. In a split second, Sookie screamed and then slumped in my arms. The smell of fresh blood brought my fangs down instantly as I realised that Sookie was bleeding.

I licked her wound to staunch the blood flow and growled as I clutched her tightly to me. She was fucking delicious and I wanted nothing more than to sink my fangs into her flesh for more of the nectar spilling from her veins.

The glorious nectar of Fairy blood.

* * *

Oh dear, the truth is out and Eric sounds like he's ready to tuck into his evening meal. But don't fret, all will be well and Sookie will get the rest of her name in cocktails at some point soon. PLEASE REVIEW, I LOVE ALL YOUR COMMENTS. Enjoy the cocktail recipes, let me know if you get around to trying them.

* * *

**S**ilver Bullet Cocktail Ingredients

25ml tequila

25ml sambuca

25ml vodka

Instructions

Mix together in a half pint glass

Drink it as quick as you can and it will give you a good kick.

**O**rgasm l'orange Cocktail Ingredients

1 shot kahlua

1 shot cointreau

1 shot Bailey's Irish Cream

Instructions

In a small glass layer first the Kahlua, then using back of teaspoon, layer Cointreau and then finally Baileys - you then have a 3 layered orgasm. You can either mix, sip as is or skull... Your choice (but careful it is a kicker)

**O**ne night stand Cocktail Ingredients

fill up with cola

2/3 shot Goldstrike

2/3 shot malibu

Instructions

Mix the malibu and goldstrike together, poor it in a longfrink with ice and top it of with cola.

**K**iss Me Quick Cocktail Ingredients

2 strawberries

2 dash grenadine

50ml barcardi white rum

25ml vodka

25ml malibu

boston shaker full Crushed ice

1 quarter lime juice

Instructions

chop 2 fresh strawberries, chuck into boston shaker, squeeze 1 quarter fresh lime into shaker, pour in grenadine and muddle strawberries to puree. add barcardi, vodka and malibu to shaker with crushed ice then shake shake shake away! strain into tumberlers and garnish with fresh strawberry and extra crushed ice. serves 2

**I**cy Blues Cocktail Ingredients

1 shot campari

glass soda

1 Blue Curacao

1 Vodka (freezer temp)

Crushed ice

lime cordial

Instructions

mix in a shaker and pour into sugar frosted martini glass with crushed ice. Use own discretion for garnishing

**E**rotic Exotic Cocktail Ingredients

2 shots Apple sourz

4 shots vodka

1 shot apple schnapps

top up soda water

Crushed ice

5 shots cointreau

2 passionfruit

1 Mango

3 apples (red)

Instructions

juice the fruit in a juicer. put crushed ice in tall sugar rimmed glass add juice, cointreau, apple sourz,vodka and apple schnapps and stir well. top up with soda water and enjoy.

dont forget the umberellas and decorate glass with slices of mango. very exotic.


	7. Chapter 7

**DARK vs LIGHT : DAY vs NIGHT**

**A/N:** Sorry for the delay in getting this next chapter out, but I've been really poorly. I am truly overwhelmed by the response to this story and am extremely grateful for all the reviews I've received. Thank you so much. it really makes my day. We have Amelia's point of view on Sookie's injuries in this chapter but will be back to Eric and Sookie next chapter. For those who are inquisitive, the hospital mentioned is where Sookie is going to work as a teacher. Please carry on reviewing, every single review or alert lifts my spirits. P.B x

* * *

**Chapter 7 - ****Amelia**

* * *

The chaos that ensued in that split second after the bullet exploded from the gun and pierced Sookie's skin, was twofold. On one hand, the whole bar was manic as Pam and the vampire patrons of Fangtasia, in defence of their master leaped to capture the shooter and contain the hysterical humans. The other was the dazed and intoxicated face of Eric who looked like a junkie after a shot of heroin.

Pam, roaring in blind fury zeroed in on the fleeing human who attempted to send her master to his final death. He had been quickly restrained by close by vampires and she now held him feet off the ground by his throat. Alongside that fury, Amelia was frozen in shock at Eric's reaction to Sookie's blood. She had never seen anything like it. Not even when a humans blood spilled, was their blood-lust so consuming that they zoned out so much as to forget their surroundings.

The other vampires in the bar were torn between wanting to rip apart the assassin or devour the fairy that was bleeding out. All the vampires were reacting to the scent, which was undetectable to her nose and the fact chilled Amelia to the bone. She now understood how confrontations between Vampires and Fairies resulted in their annihilation and the regret of placing Sookie in the lions den, so to speak tore at her heart.

"_You fucking dare to kill my master? In his own bar!_" Pam roared at the shooter. The man, who was only around twenty or so, writhed and struggled in her grasp. He was unable to speak, but stupidly spat in her face as he gasped out the words 'filthy demon'.

She threw him across the tables and he landed with a thud against the bar which had miraculously cleared of humans, leaving only the vampires remaining. Her victim was slumped semi-conscious and now surrounded by angry, bloodthirsty vampires - but that still didn't quash his self-righteous arrogance.

"Blood beasts...God will send you all to a fiery death for your evil existence!" He wheezed out, blood pouring from his mouth where he had lost a tooth.

"I don't give a flying fuck what your God thinks of us you cretin! Thalia, take him to the basement. I will _question_ him later." As Pam zoomed in on Sookie's location and it was only then that I saw the building frenzy in Eric's eyes.

He was quickly becoming intoxicated by the scent of Sookie's fairy blood, his initial reaction had been like he was savouring the taste, like a connoisseur would appreciate a fine wine. But now, he had the look of an addict fighting his desire to consume. A feral growl rose from Eric's throat and he tipped his head back, baring his lethal fangs as he prepared to plunge them into her friends artery. _Fuck it_!

Amelia prayed to the Goddess to give her the strength to take them away as she clutched the moonstone pendant around her neck. She chanted silently as she pushed herself as far from Eric as she could, afraid that he would consider her collateral damage should he drain Sookie and want dessert. Upon the last word spoken, magic bloomed in her chest and she darted forward to grab Sookie's hand just as Eric plunged ravenously into her friend's delicate skin. Luckily Sookie had passed out so was spared what Amelia would imagine was horrific pain. Eric was drawing deeply but only managed to get two or three mouthfuls in the moments that he beat Amelia to her friend. As she grabbed Sookie's limp arm she burst with a power that Amelia never knew she possessed and they were instantaneously outside the small ER of the supe hospital in Shreveport.

Sookie, having been slumped in Eric's arms before, fell forward in a lifeless heap head first. Amelia winced at the thud of her friends forehead smacking on the concrete and dived to pull her unconscious form up. She looked around searching for someone to help them and when nobody appeared, she screamed at the top of her lungs. Within seconds, nurses and doctors appeared through the sliding doors, promptly followed by a gurney. They dived to the pavement where they tried to examine her friend who she was determined not to let go of.

Amelia tried hard to tell them what had happened to Sookie, but the sobs that shook her body prevented coherent speech. She was consumed with guilt and regret at taking her new fairy friend into a vampires 'lair'. She'd promised Sookie she'd be fine and that Eric and Pam would make sure she was safe, but she had been devastatingly wrong. She'd never seen them act that way before; so wild and uncontrollable...like sharks scenting blood.

Even though she was incapable of telling anyone the full story, just the distraught screech of the words 'vampire' and 'shot' was enough for medics to realise what they'd got in front of them.

Still holding on to Sookie for dear life, the medics lifted her wounded friend onto the gurney. The ER staff simultaneously barrelled through the doors into the hospital as they tried to staunch the blood pouring out of the gaping wounds on her neck and shoulder.

She ran alongside Sookie, who's limp hand was clamped firmly in her grasp as she sobbed a healing incantation that sent strength and comfort. She barely registered that nurses were trying to pull her away from Sookie; all she could hear were the frantic demands of the staff as they tried to administer their care. Her ears still rang from the sound of the gunshot so she had a hard time comprehending what the medics were saying about Sookie's condition. The odd word slipped through and what she could make out sounded increasingly ominous.

_Pneumothorax...thoracostomy and chest tube...__gaping incised lacerated _wound_...exsanguinating hemorrhage...cardiac arrest...CPR_

"Sookie! Don't you die on me honey..._don't you fucking die_...I only just met you! _Oh fuck_...this is all my fault!" Amelia wailed despondently. All hell broke loose as nurses desperately tried to pry Sookie's hand out of hers and it took three of them to pull her away and so they could get closer with the crash cart. They dragged her kicking and screaming into an unoccupied room out of sight, holding her firmly but with understanding at her concerned hysteria for her friend.

* * *

Minutes seemed like hours as time ticked by at a tortuously slow pace. After an interminable period Amelia had calm down enough to collapse into a heap on the floor, her body shaking from quiet sobs now. One nurse was left with her now and pulled her up gently to one of the chairs that was used for patient visitors. With an arm around her shoulder, the nurse attempted to soothe her and oddly enough it was doing the trick. She senses something 'other' about this nurse but was in no state to question or ponder as she was too desperate to hear news of Sookie's condition. She knew enough from watching the show 'E.R' or any of a million movies that 'cardiac arrest and CPR' were words you never wanted to hear uttered when somebody you cared about had been hurt. In little under an hour, their evening had gone from happy and flirtatious to a living nightmare thanks to whole host of reasons.

Apart from Amelia's epic fail at exposing Sookie to the very creatures that would like nothing more than feast on her like an all you can eat buffet, Eric Northman had a lot to answer for. She'd trusted him and Pam to keep them safe in their company and although she hadn't revealed Sookie's Fae blood and her telepathy, she thought Eric had more control. She had vastly underestimated Sookie's appeal; it been amusing to start off, what with Eric fawning over her like a cat over catnip and the other vamps ready to pounce should he reject her. Her friend stood out like an angel in the presence of other supes, she had an aura like none other she had encountered and of course, everyone in the club had been drawn to her.

Absorbed in reflection of how tonight's catastrophe came to be, she barely noticed one of the doctors came into the room and crouched on the floor, putting a hand on her shoulder to get her attention.

_This was it...they were going to tell her Sookie was dead...Oh Goddess please don't let her be dead._

"Miss Broadway..._Amelia?_ Your friend, she's doing OK...she's stabilized for the time being..." Amelia's gaze shot up, grateful for this welcome news. She blinked for a moment when she realised that the crouched figure in front of her was in fact, the dwarf doctor Dr Ludwig. They'd met before when the doctor had requested her assistance in preparing magical tinctures for Were's.

"Oh, thank the goddess! When can I see her?" Amelia bit her knuckles in anticipation; she wanted to get to her friend and start giving her some healing elixirs ASAP.

"Steady on girl, she's in surgery having a small repair to her lung which was punctured by some fragmented bone from her shoulder. Luckily, the bullet lodged in the bone, saving her life. She'll be out soon, all is going well but she'll be unconscious and probably will stay that way for another several hours. I know what you want to do and if anyone is going to be giving her healing elixir it's me... but first we need her information. We've no records on her, even though she's definitely not all human and I sense that she's something very special, do you know what that is young lady?" The diminutive doctor fixed Amelia with one of those 'don't you dare lie to me' stares that reminded her of her mother.

"Her name is Sookie Stackhouse, she's 22, lives across from me in Nordic Pines, Shreveport and as for what she is..._I can't tell you_." Amelia sniffed and fixed the doctor with determined resolve. Crossing the powerful doctor was not wise, but she was damned if she was going to give her friends secret away to anyone. She'd let her down enough tonight.

The doctor seemed impressed at Amelia's reluctance and whispered in her ear.

"Don't worry witch, I know what she is but wanted to test how easily you would give up her secret. _I shall not reveal her nature_. She needs good people around her who will look out for her. Existence for her kind in this realm is not only astonishing, but perilous."

Under the circumstances, Amelia would do anything but smile, but the words form Dr Ludwig were reassuring. Having another soul to bear the heavy secret that was Sookie's true being, was a relief. The fact that the doctor would be able to help Sookie more than a regular human doctor made Amelia more positive that her friend was going to be OK.

"I would never tell...but doctor, I'm _not _a good friend...in fact I'm a _shitty_ friend. It's because I took her to Fangtasia that she's here now!" Amelia's voice was strained and getting hysterical.

"Sshh child. If it wasn't at Fangtasia, it would have been somewhere else. But I am surprised that she has both fang and gunshot wounds. Tell me what happened." The doctor was surprisingly comforting for someone so fierce looking. She could be blunt and downright insensitive sometimes, but the severity of Sookie's situation showed a side that Amelia had never seen before.

"I...I suppose you're right. OK...we were having a _great _time in the bar, Eric and Pam were with us and he was all over Sookie like she was in heat or something. Next thing, Sookie just shouts 'NO!" and out of nowhere some crazy vampire hating assassin shoots...probably aiming for Eric, but Sook just threw herself in the path of the bullet." Amelia's voice shook, trying hard to stay calm as she attempted to remember the facts.

"Then Eric must have got the scent of her blood and lost control 'cos he ripped into her neck. I had to do some pretty heavy magic to get us out of there..." She looked at the doc with knowing eyes; Dr Ludwig understood how hard it would have been to conjure up disappearing spell for a moderately powerful witch such as herself.

"_Eric Northman _did this to her? I am surprised at his lack of control...her spark must be very powerful if she can intoxicate vampires when she is only part fairy." Dr Ludwig's forehead creased, which made her face look even more crumpled than before.

"Her..._spark_?" Amelia had not heard of this. Her knowledge of fairies was very limited. They were, or had been a secretive race; the knowledge of their vulnerabilities a closely guarded secret. She knew of their magical abilities but the 'spark' was a new one on her.

"Her 'spark' is the magic essence inside her, her magical power. If she is of a strong Fae bloodline the essence will be stronger, so it matters none if she is only part. Due to Northman's reaction, I suspect she may be of royal blood..." The doctor looked impressed at her own realisation of how special Sookie was.

"_No way_! A...fairy princess? Sookie...a _real live fairy princess_..." Amelia repeated this amazing piece of information over in her mind.

"You can say that again...I've not encountered a fairy for hundreds of years. It's thought that they were extinct but I imagine they've retreated back to their own realm for fear of the total destruction of their race."

Amelia smiled internally, despite the horror that had transpired earlier, knowing that the fates had thrown her and Sookie together. The last mystery in her development as a witch was that of the Fae and their magic. It would have been enough to scour various archives to find out what had been documented about them, but now she had Sookie. She would make it her mission to learn all she could about the Fae, not only to complete her training, but to be able to help Sookie discover her talents and learn how best to protect her friend. It was imperative now, to Amelia, that she make amends to her new friend and she only hoped that Sookie would forgive her for her gross error in judgement.

"What can I do to help and...what do we do about Eric? Amelia sighed deeply, this whole situation was completely fubar.

She had no idea of course, what happened after they'd disappeared, but she now feared Eric like never before. He'd always intimidated her a little bit, but she knew that there was good in him; he even had a pretty good sense of humour. Would he come after them, to finish Sookie off? He'd committed an offence of public feeding but would there have been anyone around to give evidence that he had done so; would his vampire minions dare to report him? Unless he intended to grovel at Sookie and her feet for his behaviour, she had no intention of maintaining their professional relationship..._he could go to hell._

Amelia couldn't help but look nervously through the windows of the glass room they were in. Would he come here, cause a scene and make everything even worse than it could possibly be? As if picking up on her fear, the doctor replied to her earlier question and reassured her that Sookie was quite safe in the hospital.

"Apart from shrugging of the guilt you feel at putting her in danger, just be there for her. There are some healing preparations I need you to concoct, to help the sutures heal on her neck..._do not use lemon essence or iron implements._" The diminutive doctors voice stressed this last point like it was life or death matter and it took Amelia a few seconds to process that these two elements must be lethal to fairies.

She nodded in acceptance of what she needed to do, but was still nervous about the ancient vampire coming after them.

"As for the Sheriff, he will know his crime and accept any punishment. He is an honourable vampire, _notwithstanding_ his attack on your friend. He will be contacted to apprise him of Miss Steakhouse's condition and I will offer my own opinion as how to keep this unfortunate _incident_ from becoming public knowledge." The doctor added.

"I don't want him coming here! He nearly killed her when she was already injured from saving his life...I can't see his intentions being anything but sinister." Amelia's ire rose along with her body as she bolted up, once again scanning the figures milling around the E.R. only to land on the one figure she hoped would stay away from them.

"_Oh hell!_ Looks like I've saved myself a phone call...I'll be right back." The air around the doctor whooshed and she was gone, only to reappear in front of the very tormented looking Eric who was busy interrogating the reception staff.

Amelia stormed out of the room in their direction, just within earshot of Dr Ludwig telling Eric in a stern voice that Sookie had been severely injured and was now in surgery, she was stable and he could _not_ see her.

Without the normal fear or stupidity that accompanied confronting a powerful and terrifying predator such as Eric Northman, Amelia stormed up to him and shoved him hard in the chest. As if sensing a battle of wills, the doctor vanished. Presumably to check on Sookie.

"What the fuck, Eric? Haven't you harmed her enough...I trusted you, you _and_ Pam to keep us safe. Sookie's had a shit enough time of it lately without being shot and nearly fucking drained, and by her own landlord too! How fucked up is that?"

Eric glowered at her physical and verbal assault but quickly calmed himself, for which she was relieved. As much as she was pissed at him, she valued her life too much to carry on her tirade in the middle of the Emergency Room. He had the good grace to seem contrite as he allowed her to lay into him; it wasn't a adjective she would have ever thought she'd use to describe Eric as he never showed remorse for his actions. He was powerful and his decisions were the law, _he had never had cause to regret a decision_, he had once told her.

She knew Eric enough to know that alongside the fact he could be ruthless and downright terrifying, he was also capable of acts of benevolence. The downside to this charitable trait was that he was a vampire and they rarely acted without some selfish intent; sometimes, even with charity there was a kickback. Amelia suspected that his intentions were not entirely honourable, which she had to admit was slightly judgemental, but after witnessing the earlier carnage she was in a heightened state of mind and even more suspicious and protective. She had no idea what he was up to by coming here, but she didn't like it one bit and wanted him to leave.

"Amelia...I understand your anger and I am truly sorry for what happened to Sookie at the bar. It was not my intention I assure you." Eric did, to his credit, look totally sincere but contemplative at the same time, like he was trying to justify to himself why he was defending his innate instincts.

Amelia understood that vampires were ruled strongly by emotions and instinct such as possessiveness, pride, lust and anger. These reigned alongside their predatory instincts to feed and fuck their 'prey', domination of those deemed as their lessors was key to a vampire. She was torn. On one hand, Eric was a creature that thrived on blood and fairy blood was supposedly like hardcore drugs to them. Was she really going to admit it to herself and consider that Eric had just acted upon instinct at being exposed to such a potent and intoxicating blood source? After all, it wasn't Eric's fault some idiot zealot took a shot at him; up until then, she was pretty sure that he and her friend were going to take things further. She'd never seen Eric respond to a female in such a flirtatious and attentive manner; he'd always just let them come to him...he never had to try. As much as she suspected that he had ulterior motives, she knew he never approached anything without layers of subterfuge in order to manipulate situations to his benefit. Was he genuine in his remorse...could she consider giving him the benefit of the doubt? She wondered whether Sookie would be so forgiving...knowing her even for the little amount of time she had, she suspected her friend would. She'd never met such a kind, selfless, empathetic person in all her life.

She studied him for a moment before speaking. "She saved you from a bullet to the heart..._you know that_?"

"I am well aware..._that_ is why I am here." He announced. The statement was laced with double meaning. He made it sound like he was here to thank her, but more likely wanted to know how she knew to shield him and why he went so crazy over her blood.

Well _fuck_! That was another bombshell she didn't know whether to drop. Sookie's secret..._secrets_ were hers to tell, so there was no way that she was admitting to him that Sook probably 'heard' the shooter and before he had a chance to get a clear shot, unselfishly put herself in harms way. Why, Amelia thought, was a whole other minefield. Sookie had spent a couple of hours, tops, in Eric's company and although she had looked like she was thoroughly enjoying herself, what the hell had she been thinking? Was Sookie that taken by him that she would sacrifice her life for him? The thought was just incomprehensible.

"You could have sent flowers..." Amelia snarked tiredly at him. To his credit, he raised an eyebrow in amusement of her remark.

"I already thought of that, but I would like to thank Sookie personally for her actions, but I have questions... I _need _to know how and why she put herself in such a precarious situation." And there it was, just as she suspected. Thankfully, she couldn't be glamoured due to her nature, so he couldn't glean that information from her. Once again, this was Sookie's call.

"Eric...I don't know OK? I know you've apologised but I don't know if I want you around her..._hell_ I don't know that _she _would want you around her now..." She replied matter of factly.

"That would be...most _disappointing_. Although, in my capacity as Sheriff I am duty bound to provide medical assistance for the anyone injured on my premises. I shall be taking care of her medical bills here and see to it that she receives the best care." He said with a fierce determination. It sounded as if he'd made up his mind about the medical expenses and it was non-negotiable. As far as him being _disappointed_ if Sook chose not to see him again, she doubted that Eric was used to rejection and probably would see it as a challenge.

"Whatever Eric. At the moment, all I care about is that she's going to heal. They...they had to do CPR you know." Amelia lost her composure then and her head fell into her hands. "Her heart stopped, her lung was punctured..."

Eric remained stoic at her side, not saying a word in return, no comforting "It'll be OK, she'll be fine now", or reaching out to take her hand. Before she could finish this thought, the familiar embrace of Pam encompassed her and she broke down completely, spilling hot tears onto Pam's cool skin.

"Come now, lets go and get you settled in the waiting room with a some tea..." Pam had thoughtfully bought a soft cashmere wrap with her and draped it around her shoulders. She'd forgotten that she was a tad overdressed for a trip to the E.R and welcomed the coverage.

She allowed Pam to steer them with Eric following behind, to a waiting area that was outside of a luxury private room which must have been Eric's doing. The three of them sat quietly awaiting news of Sookie's surgery, Amelia's head resting on Pam's shoulder tiredly and Eric frantically punching the keys of his phone as he tended to business. Clear-up probably, Amelia thought.

* * *

After a couple of hours, Dr Ludwig came by to announce that Sookie was out of surgery and was being brought to through to the room. She gave Eric a pointed look that said 'behave yourself' and popped away. They watched in silence as the orderlies wheeled in Sookie's bed, complete with a myriad of tubes, wires and machines attached to it, into the private room.

With a pointed look from Eric, the hospital staff left them alone and before anyone could register it, Eric was at Sookie's side, his eyes cataloguing every bump, bruise and dressing on her tiny fragile body. As Amelia and Pam came into the room, she saw the condition of her friend, ran to the other side of the bed and gently held the hand she had gripped for dear life hours before.

"Oh Sookie..._I'm so sorry_! I shouldn't have taken you to the bar, it was a _BIG _mistake." She looked at Eric as she reiterated her regretful decision to go there. If Sookie ever forgave her, she knew damn well that she would treat Sookie to a night at Hooligans instead; strippers were a damn sight safer than vampires that was certain.

Sookie lay motionless in the stark white of the hospital bed, a pale blue gown partially covering her, pulled down on one shoulder to reveal the extensive bandaging from her chest and shoulder wound. The dressing on her neck was smaller and there was significant bruising in the shape of large male fingers along the back of her neck where Eric had held her tight to him. Her face was pale apart from the angry looking bump on her forehead where she fell when they first arrived, and her hair had sections where the blood had dried and matted. She would get her cleaned up as soon as Eric and Pam were gone; she knew how important it would be to her friend to be presentable, even in her current condition.

Glancing across at the vampires, she noticed that whilst Pam looked indifferent, Eric's hulking form loomed over Sookie, fixated on her like he was trying to figure out the mystery of the Mona Lisa.

"I will heal her...do you object?" He announced assertively, leaving little doubt that the request was just for courtesy.

_Wow._ The mighty Sheriff was offering his blood to Sookie, granted a woman who had had saved his life, but one that he had only known for one evening. Pam gasped at his words, only confirming the fact to Amelia that this was a big deal. She had told me that vampires regarded their blood as sacred and therefore didn't just give it away lightly. It was a potent healer, but also had crazy side effects. Neither had shared their blood with anyone but each other, so his gesture was astonishing.

With nobody to make the decision for Sookie and feeling desperate for her friend's return to health, she nodded her approval and watched as he slashed his palm with a fingernail and allowed the blood to pool in the cup of his hand. Then, with a gentle touch he dipped his fingers into his blood and applied it to Sookie's wounds after he peeled away the dressings. Reapplying them, he then bit into his wrist and held it over Sookie's mouth, holding her mouth open with his free hand. He had to help her swallow due to her unconsciousness, but within a few minutes she had regained a better colour. He pulled his wrist away as it had now healed and looked upon Sookie with a mix of tenderness and confusion.

Eric, in a surprisingly affectionate gesture for the fierce ancient vampire, ran the back of his fingers over Sookie's cheek and uttered words of regret.

"Sookie...sweet Sookie..._forgive me_?"

* * *

Note: I am not a medic so all medical references are sourced from the internet and may therefore contain inaccuracies. It's a supe hospital so they won't follow conventional procedures all of the time.

Next Chapter - Sookie's dream in her unconscious state (warning...it's HOT!) and Eric being a bit of a stalker.


	8. Chapter 8

**DARK vs. LIGHT : DAY vs. NIGHT**

**A/N: **I apologise for how short this update is and how long it's taken to get a new chapter out. I've been struggling with how I want to portray Eric here and really hope you like it. He's short on romance to start off with but it's something he learns along with way, so don't immediately hate him for how he acts in this chapter. It's gonna be a learning curve for him to actually care about someone. As always, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your reviews and really appreciate your comments. Please carry on reviewing, it makes my day. I promise to get a longer chapter out to you by the weekend.

P.B x

* * *

**Chapter 8**

**Eric**

The rush of bloodlust that surged through my body upon one inhalation of the sweet scented blood only centimetres away from my face was mind-blowing.  
Fairy blood was maddeningly potent, like a concentration of ecstasy that made me want to devour the vessel right there and then.

The sensation of becoming disconnected with all rational thought was euphoric and my eyes rolled in the back of my head as I arched my head back ready to bite. Euphoria inflamed my body like a rush of adrenaline would a human; my fangs ached in anticipation of consuming the nectar that my olfactory senses had detected and my cock was rock hard and ready to fuck.

I had a tight hold of the fairy that was weak in my grasp and with a primal ferocity, plunged my fangs into its neck, sucking hard and fast. As the warm liquid essence of fairy flowed into my mouth, my body tingled all over like a full body orgasm and I growled hungrily. Its heartbeat was slowing and I exalted in knowing that within a minute or so, the delicious creature would be drained.

Before I could revel in the satisfaction of draining my foe, I realised with drunken confusion that the fairy had miraculously disappeared. Instead of fury at the loss, I couldn't help but laugh, amused that the damn fairy had escaped. _How?  
_

Inebriation clouded my brain and I couldn't think straight so I slumped back into the leather seat of the booth and grinned at the thought of my rather delicious meal. _How had I come to have a fairy? _I was too high to give a fuck._ I want  
another..._

"Pam!" I bellowed, as I licked traces of blood from my lips and fangs. I palmed my cock through my pants, feeling mightily frustrated that I didn't get to fuck my food.

"Master?" My child stood before me immediately, her pupils dilated and her face in a frown.

"Get me someone to fuck...now!" Slamming my palm down on the table, I felt the tightening of my balls at the thought of fucking the life out of some fangbanger over the table.

"Of course Master. Where are Sookie and Amelia?" Pam asked with a wary tone.

"Who?" I asked with a slur. _Why was I slurring?_ I felt strange but it wasn't unpleasant; in the back of my mind there was a slight nagging that something was not right about this situation.

"Eric? Sookie, the gorgeous blonde you've been all over tonight and her friend, my friend - the witch Amelia, where are they?" She was looking at me oddly, like I'd done something I shouldn't have. Let me think...g_orgeous blonde...Sookie. _The nagging tightened and my brain started to clear as memories of a stunning blonde sitting on my lap, touching and teasing each other...

I shook my head, still not quite able to make sense of the situation. The fairy, I knew I'd nearly drained a fairy, but then it was gone...and apparently so were this woman Sookie and her friend Amelia.

Sitting in the booth, having still not answered Pam's question, I grinned salaciously to myself. I remembered a hot blonde goddess in a tight white dress, toned and tanned legs that went on and on...juicy tits that just cried out to be licked and bitten. The more I imagined her body, the more the image in my mind focused and after a full minute of Pam's matronly staring, clarity returned.

"Fuck!" I shouted out loud, causing some stragglers to glance over. _Fuck! What the hell just happened? Did I...did I just nearly drain the beauty I was just lusting about...Sookie? The fairy...Sookie was the fairy...holy fuck! _

"Eric..._please_. Tell me what's going on with you...you seem _drunk. _One minute Amelia and Sookie were at the table...she, Sookie had just dived in front of you,  
shielding you from a fucking Fellowship assassin." Pam's tone was panicked now. There was anxiety in the bond between us.

"Now she's nowhere to be seen and you've blood all over your face..." She continued.

For a moment I sat confused and angry that a perfectly good opportunity for a fuck and feed with a delicious virgin had been stolen from me, and then realised the reason for this. Springing into action, I felt the need to exert my authority after being rendered practically helpless from fairy intoxication. I needed to rip something apart and follow that up with a damn hard fuck.

"Where is the Fellowship cretin?" I barked to Pam, who looked relieved that I was back to my normal self.

"In the basement, restrained...he's had the welcome treatment." Pam raised her eyebrow and I didn't need to know any more; he'd been beaten and fed upon but kept alive for interrogation later.

"Very good. I will question him and then his life is forfeit." I snarled. _How dare he  
brazenly walk into my bar and attempt to take my life!_

This new uprising of zealots was becoming a real pain in the ass. We'd been 'out' five minutes and already there were those insane and ignorant enough to think they could hunt and kill us like some adolescent TV show vampire hunter.

Observing who was left in the bar, I moved to my native tongue as so not to alert other vampires of what he had discovered about the sweet Miss Stackhouse.

"Sookie är en älva...Jag har inte smakade en älva för hundratals år. Hon var utsökt..._ Jag vill ha henne." _

(**Sookie is a fairy. I haven't tasted a fairy for hundreds of years. She was exquisite. **_**I want her**_.)

"Inget jävla sätt! En fairy! Du kommer delar? Var hon så läckra som hon såg ut?" (**No fucking way! A fairy! Will you share? Was she as delicious as she looked?**)

"Du såg vad hennes blod gjorde mig - det blåste mig. Jag vill knulla henne och gnida själv över henne. Jag vill ha henne att be mine och det innebär ingen delning."

(**You saw what her blood did to me - it blew my mind. I want to fuck her and rub myself all over her. I want her to be mine and that means **_**no **_**sharing**).

"Inte så rättvis! Vart tog hon vägen och hur i helvete hon fick obemärkt?"

(**So not fair! Where did she go and how the hell did she get out unnoticed?**)

"Det är vad jag skulle vilja veta. Hon kan ha använt henne egna eller Amelia's magic. Från vad jag kan minnas, var hon nära döden så jag kan tänka mig ett sjukhus är där hon har gått."

(**That's what I'd like to know. She may have used her own or Amelia's magic. From what I can remember, she was close to death so I would imagine a hospital is where she's gone**.)

"Jag kommer att kontrollera alla sjukhus i Shreveport master."  
(**I will check all the hospitals in Shreveport master.**)

"Hon inte så mottaglig för mig som hon var  
tidigare på kvällen, så jag kommer att spela en noggrant. Jag ska göra vad som krävs - hon kommer vara min!"

(**She won't be as **_**receptive **_**to me as she was earlier in the evening, so I'm going to have to play this one carefully. I'll do whatever is necessary - she will be MINE!**)

"Du vill henne som sällskapsdjur?"  
(**You want her as a pet?**)

"Jag hennes villiga, men om hon inte är beredd att bortse från att jag nästan dränerad henne, sedan jag kommer hålla henne med våld. Jag vill inte hennes komma i händerna på andra kraftfulla vampyrer."

(**I would like her willing, but if she is not prepared to overlook the fact that I nearly drained her, then I will keep her by force. I don't want her getting into the hands of any other powerful vampires.**)

"Du har aldrig haft ett husdjur innan…"  
(**You've never had a pet before**…)

" Jag inser att Pamela. Jag vill att min lilla fairy. Jag vill Sookie Stackhouse och när jag får henne, hon kommer att ge vika för mig och jag tänker helt avnjuta hennes härliga blod och organ."

(**I realise that Pamela. I want my little fairy. I want Sookie Stackhouse and when I get her, she will yield to me and I fully intend to feast on her delectable blood and body.**)

"Mycket väl Master." (**Very well Master**)

"En sista sak. Hur visste hon om shooter? Även såg vi honom tills det var för sent."

(**One last thing. How did she know about the shooter? Even we didn't see him until it was too late.**)

"Att jag tänker ta reda på när du har hittat henne."

(**That, I intend to find out when you locate her.**)

"Hon sparade du." (**She saved you**.)

"Ja - och därför är jag tacksam att inte försöka döda henne."

(**Yes - and for that reason I am **_**grateful**_** enough to try not to kill her**.)

* * *

Pam and I spent the next couple of hours glamouring the humans that had witnessed the attempt on my life and the near death of Sookie Stackhouse. Even though I knew she wasn't completely human, I couldn't have it made public that I'd fed and nearly drained a human in my own club, particularly one that had just sacrificed herself for me. It would be a PR disaster that the AVL would have my balls over.

The bar was a mess of turned over tables and spilt drinks from the resulting exodus that was expected after hearing a gunshot in such close proximity. My staff was in the process of righting the furniture and cleaning up the spills when Pam reminded me that we had a visitor.

"I'll go and have a little talk with our visitor whilst you get that information for me Pam." I ordered as I strode off towards the basement.

Walking past my office, down the dim corridor that led to the staff room and storeroom, I pushed open the door of the store room and it banged loudly against the concrete wall behind it. My guest in the basement would be sure to have heard it and would be anticipating company no doubt. I pressed my thumbprint into the scanner and the door clicked open to reveal a pitch black room that was dank and sinister, the only exit was the way I had come, so there was no escape even if the 'guests' down here weren't suspended from chains.

"Wake the fuck up!" I roared at my assassin, suddenly in his face. He wouldn't have heard me approach at vampire speed and in the dark, I doubted he would have seen me if he'd been fully conscious.

The mere boy jumped at the sound of my voice which now echoed around the empty space and I laughed cruelly as his bladder relieved itself involuntarily. He was shaking now, terrified and completely lacking in the bravado of his earlier actions.

"Tell me boy, did you go to school?" It was a perfectly innocent question and one that I expected an answer for, so when he didn't answer straight away, I took his wrist and bit into it, hard.

He screamed like a girl and started sobbing. "Answer me! Did you go to school child?"

"Yes! I graduated two years ago, I'm at college now." He whimpered, barely coherent from fear and pain.

"College, I see. So you're quite intelligent then?" Another innocent question and lucky for him, he answered straight away, catching on quickly to the fact that not answering meant more pain. Little did he know what was coming.

"Yes, yes...I'm top of my class." He almost shouted, eager to answer now.

"Then do tell me, what's intelligent about coming into a bar full of vampires, trying to shoot one of us and then ending up shooting an innocent girl instead?"

He stuttered and shook his head, not knowing how to answer. This earned him another bite on the wrist. Blood was dripping from my mouth and it was a shame that he couldn't see the horror that he'd unleashed, so I activated the lights with the remote in my pocket.

The overhead fluorescents kicked in and he screwed his eyes up and blinked a few times before recoiling at the sight of me. I had fresh blood all over my mouth, dripping down from my fangs and onto the floor. My shirt was covered in old blood from the Sookie's gunshot wound and where her blood had spilled from the open wounds caused by my fangs.

"How does it feel to murder an innocent girl...does it make you feel good to have blood on your hands? I know how it makes me feel...that makes us the same." My face was fixed in a snarl and I grabbed him by the throat as I spat blood in his face.

"I...I killed her, the fangbanger you were with?" He asked wide eyed.

"She was no fangbanger you cretin! It was her first time here, she was a virgin, untouched by man or fang...do you feel good about yourself now? Will your God forgive you for killing an innocent?" I wasn't about to admit that he hadn't actually killed her, it was me that had nearly done that...maybe she was dead by my hand already. I closed my hand around his throat and he squirmed as he fought for air.

"Oh...God...I'm...sorry!" The boy whispered in a last ditch attempt to save his life.

"I do not recognise your God and it is not him you should be saying sorry to. But I shall not give you the satisfaction of redeeming yourself. You come into my bar and attempt to kill me, now I will show you what happens to those who wrong me!"

The boy whimpered, his eyes wide as saucers as I plunged my fangs into his neck, sucking the life out of him until he slumped forward, his heart stopped and my fairy bloodlust diluted by plain old human blood.

"Pam." I called for my child to come and dispose of the body and as we passed on the stairs, she stopped me.

"Eric, I've found her. She's in the Supe hospital in a critical condition...I called Amelia, she said that Sookie might not make it, she's devastated." Pam actually sounded concerned. Maybe not for Sookie, but for the damage this catastrophe would inevitably do to her and Amelia's relationship. Probably our business arrangement too.

"Fuck!" I stormed up to my office and into my private bathroom, eager to get the blood of Sookie off of me. The evidence of her injuries and her sacrifice burned into my skin like a cruel reminder of how twisted and irredeemable I was.

Only minutes before, I consumed by bloodlust and determined to make her mine through any means, even against her will. My desire to possess a fairy blood source overcame any moral feelings I may have about manipulating and spoiling an innocent being. This was exactly what I despised about our race; we were often beyond redemption, consumed with greed and desire.

Standing in the shower, I let the blood run down in watery rivulets in a metaphoric display of what I had done this evening. I had just flushed a perfectly good chance at having a beautiful companion away for the sake of her blood. Even though it had consumed me, I should have been able to resist her...the combination of her heady scent and the rage that ignited in me upon seeing that a human dared to kill me.

I slammed my fist into the tile wall causing several to smash to the floor, blood covered my knuckles but it washed away in the overhead flow of water and my wounds healed quickly. Sookie would not be so lucky. Pam had said she was critical and that she may even die. Uncharacteristically, I couldn't bear the thought.

Never in my long existence had a given a flying fuck about a human and whether it lived or died. Never had a human saved my life and never had I met one quite like Sookie Stackhouse. She intrigued me, toyed with me and acted as if I didn't frighten her one bit and I really admired her for that. It didn't matter that she was amazingly beautiful, damn sexy and filled to the brim with the most intoxicating nectar known to vampires.

I had to get to her fast; I would not allow such a beautiful and innocent creature like her to die. She was my saviour and I would do anything to keep her alive.

* * *

Apologies to any Swedes out there reading this. I've used Google Translate for my Swedish conversation, so blame them for any errors!


	9. Chapter 9

**DARK vs. LIGHT : DAY vs. NIGHT**

**Chapter 9**

**Note**: My sincere thanks for all your comments for this story, I've appreciated all the alerts and reviews immensely.

* * *

**Eric**

I had to walk at human speed through the automatic doors, as I had learnt from previous experience, those type of doors weren't able to register vampire speed. So, although I wanted to get to see Sookie quickly, I didn't want to break the hospital's entrance doors as it would draw unnecessary attention.

Appearing like a spectre at the front desk, I made the receptionist jump back in her seat in surprise. I would have smiled at her reaction if the situation was not so grave. Her eyes narrowed as she recognised me as vampire.

"Sookie Stackhouse, blonde female, which room?" I growled at her impatiently.

Surprisingly, I received a growl back. The female was a were and reacted defensively to my demand.

"Are you a _relative_?" She snarked sarcastically. An idiotic question that was obviously meant to mock me. Of course I wasn't a fucking relative, but I didn't give a fuck about the rules.

"Not smart _were_...just tell me what room she's in!"

"I can't give out that information, you have to wait for Dr Ludwig to..." I didn't give her the chance to finish as I bared my fangs at her.

To give the were credit, she snarled back at me. It was obvious why she was on the front desk, she was a fucking rottweiler and had the face to match. Before I had a chance to reach over and grab her by the throat, the diminutive Dr Ludwig appeared and tried to placate me.

"Sheriff, the young woman you ask about was critically injured and is now in surgery, she'll be out soon and before you ask, _NO _you cannot see her."

"You cannot deny me..." Once again my protestations were interrupted by another female who clearly showed no concern for her own safety by promptly shouting at me. The witch friend. I needed to behave here, through her was probably the only way I'd get to see Sookie; between the rottweiler and the doctor, Sookie would be off limits. Very bravely she shoved me hard in the chest.

"_What the fuck_, Eric? Haven't you harmed her enough...I trusted you, you _and_ Pam to keep us safe. Sookie's had a shit enough time of it lately without being shot and nearly fucking drained, and by her own landlord too! How fucked up is that?"

I had to rein in my temper as there was no way that I would normally tolerate being reprimanded by a human, even if she was a witch.

"Amelia...I understand your anger and I truly regret what happened to Sookie at the bar. It was not my intention I assure you." It was rare for me to apologize to anyone except a regent, but the need to convince Amelia of my genuine regret outweighed any superiority I might have felt over her. Thankfully, it seemed to placate her somewhat, as she sighed and let her anger dissipate.

"She saved you from a bullet to the heart..._you know that_?" Her words were quiet and reflective, like she was reliving the moment.

"I am well aware of what she did and .._that_ is why I am here." I couldn't admit it to the witch, but I was both grateful to Sookie and intrigued as to the circumstances surrounding my attempted assassination.

"You could have sent flowers..." However she took my comment, she couldn't seem to be angry at me any more. She looked tired, like the adrenaline had burnt from her system only to leave an exhausted shell behind. The bitchy comment could have come straight from my child's mouth; they were definitely a good match.

"I already thought of that, but I would like to thank Sookie personally for her actions, but I have questions... I _need _to know how and why she put herself in such a precarious situation." She looked at me nervously.

The witch knew and wasn't going to say a word due to her loyalty to her friend, and the fact that I couldn't glamour her pissed me off. Having to go about finding facts patiently and politely was not really in my nature; interrogation and intimidation - yes, but that definitely wouldn't work here.

"Eric...I don't know OK? I know you've apologised but I don't know if I want you around her..._hell_ I don't know that _she _would want you around her now..."

I felt a tiny jolt of regret at the words that Sookie wouldn't want to be around me now. What had happened tonight had been a serious impediment to my seduction of her; and now that she had captured my attention, I just couldn't walk away as long forgotten stirrings of human emotions rose from the abyss that was heart. Even when I was a human - a prince at that, I had _never_ been rejected and had _never_ caused anyone I had felt worthy of my company any harm. The decent part of myself felt some remorse that I not only caused her harm, but that the opposite side of me - the manipulative, scheming side wanted to possess a great treasure such as her. I was convinced there was something else special about her and I was determined to find out what that was.

"That would be...most _disappointing_. Although, in my capacity as Sheriff I am duty bound to provide medical assistance for the anyone injured on my premises. I shall be taking care of her medical bills here and see to it that she receives the best care."

Asserting my position and reassuring the witch that I was only interested in her welfare, more than the mystery of her sacrifice, I would make sure that she was cared for. I felt obliged.

"Whatever Eric. At the moment, all I care about is that she's going to heal. They... they had to do CPR you know." Amelia lost her composure then and her head fell into her hands. "Her heart stopped, her lung was punctured..."

I wasn't sure what to say, crying women were a weakness of mine. I remembered my mother crying when my father died. Her grief had been very hard to share and I was grateful that I no longer had to tolerate such emotions. I tried hard to train my features at hearing how severely Sookie was injured; she very nearly died due to her selfless act. The fact that I helped exacerbate her injuries by taking more of her blood whilst already injured made me feel unusually uncomfortable.

Pam appeared and luckily knew what to do with the distressed witch as she embraced her and led her off to the waiting area as she whispered words of comfort to her.

* * *

We three waited restlessly for news as to Sookie's condition. Pam had glared at me impatiently as I tapped my foot like an anxious father awaiting the birth of my child. I had taken the opportunity to make some calls and follow up on some emails on my phone, but now I was caught up and had nothing to do I was anxious.

Nothing made me anxious but the sight of silver or a stake inches from my skin; the emotion so alien to me and therefore magnified how truly worried and impatient I was. A few hours later and we were informed that Sookie was being brought through from the operating theatre's recovery room, to a private room where we were told we could wait. As the nursing staff wheeled her bed through, followed by Dr Ludwig, I couldn't take my eyes off the tiny, fragile looking body laying there.

I knew that I'd be reprimanded by the tiny doctor if I wasn't careful not to overstep the bounds here, but I felt so drawn to Sookie that I crouched at the side of the bed, taking in all the medical paraphernalia all around her.

She was pale, very pale indeed…her pallor a contrast to the tanned and healthy beauty she radiated before the incident. Her hair was matted with blood and her neck and chest heavily bandaged. A tube was inserted into her throat to help her breathe and electronic pads connected up to the numerous bedside machines, decorated her skin.

Another pang of guilt stung me as I saw, in the flesh, how I had severely injured such a tiny, delicate creature. She had been noble and selfless and I had been nothing but a monster. I understood my nature and that spilled blood was what air was to an oxygen deprived human; but it felt wrong with a creature like Sookie therefore, the need to owe tithe to her was as strong as a mate's need to avenge my female. Never had I put me self in a position where I was in any-one's debt; but now I was inadvertently in hers and although she were not my mate _yet..., _my brain whispered. I was an honourable man and realised what I could do to pay my debt.

"I will heal her...do you object?" I directed the request at the witch, but heard Pam's gasp instead but ignored it. The last time I had freely given my blood had been when I turned Pam. It was a well documented rule that vampire blood was sacred and not to be given out without justification.

Amelia nodded her ascent and with her permission, I bit into my wrist and I proceeded to apply my spilled blood to her external wounds, therefore preventing any scars that would have been formed. I reopened the wound when it started to heal, and with a little difficulty, dripped my life-force into Sookie's mouth. The tubes were in the way, but I knew instantly that she had taken it into her body as the connection between them formed.

Although Sookie seemed in a fragile, comatose state, the burst of emotions from her almost overwhelmed me as her internal warmth did strange things to the small amount of my blood travelling around her body. The single link hummed in the centre of my being, as if cleansing my soul with purity and light. The transfer of blood, I had heard, was meant to be a one way link of the human's emotions - it was like nothing I had felt before; not Pam had evoked such a sensation. It was as if I was literally in her mind and experiencing every sensation. She was truly phenomenal.

Surprising even me, I found myself momentarily wondering what it would feel like to be bonded...would I want another, bar Pam, to know what I was feeling? The answer was just out of reach, an unknown scenario to me. As much as I was attracted to her, drawn to her even; emotions and relationships were a minefield in both human and vampire worlds.

For a warrior and leader of men, decisive action and clarity of thought were paramount. The beauty scrambled my thoughts and had me thinking about emotions, but I was damned if I would let myself get carried away with them. A brief encounter would be acceptable to quench the thirst I had for her, and not just her blood...my body felt restless, the desire to possess a female burning deep in my loins. The devil on my shoulder goaded me about being a sentimental wimp rather than concentrating on ravishing her delectable body and her nectar-like blood. my moral counterpart lauded the joys of intimacy and respect and how much more satisfying righteousness felt than domination.

To make things worse; I agreed with both but would never find out if Sookie wouldn't even allow me to make amends or even talk to me. I needed her to satisfy my craving _and _my assuage my guilt if I could get her out of my system. The thought of being held to ransom by my emotions was not a situation that I wanted to be in at all, but the possibility that she would not entertain me twisted in my gut and brought forth the bile of anxiousness. Out of nowhere I felt the need to reach out to her.

"Sookie...sweet Sookie..._forgive me_?" My dark soul scolded me for being such a sap and smirked at the double meaning of my endearment; whilst the deeply buried remnants of a man that wanted that special connection, made my newly warmed heart pulsed with need.

She gave me no answer of course, but I didn't matter. Whatever part of her I could possess, I could wait and it would be worth it.

Dawn was only an hour or so away, so in an uncharacteristically human manner, I suggested to Amelia that I would stay with Sookie if she wanted to go home and get some things for her friend. With only a moments hesitation she agreed and Pam offered to drive her and be back within the hour.

That left me alone with Sookie and I took the opportunity to take her hand without questioning or unapproving eyes. Her hand was tiny in mine, almost childlike in its daintiness and warm to the touch. I frowned to myself at the automatic need to touch her, but being able to feel her skin as well as _feel _her emotionally comforted me like nothing I had felt before.

I could have quite happily sat for hours just watching her, seeing the magic healing of my blood slowly wipe away the bruises surrounding her bandaged wounds. I was reluctant to lift the dressings to check that the healing was going further than the surface layer of her skin as I didn't want to incur the wrath of Dr Ludwig should she catch me in the act.

Speak of the devil at it shall appear. The doctor materialized at the doorway with a quizzical look and her hands on her hips. I braced myself.

"You gave her blood?" She must have some sixth sense or something for her to be able to detect such a thing, but I didn't question how she knew.

"I did." I felt reluctant to explain why and thankfully the perceptive doctor didn't press the matter.

"Well, that should speed the healing. I'd best check her wounds and see whether she still needs the oxygen."

Coming to the other side of the bed, the little doctor stepped on a stool and proceeded to lift the dressings on Sookie's chest and neck. I was surprised she didn't ask me to leave, but supposed that the fact that I had given my blood was enough to grant me the opportunity to see how it had healed her. She peeled the dressing away from Sookie's neck first; I frowned deeply at the remaining bruises that were gradually fading where I had bitten her. It must have been a savage, deep wound as my blood was still working to heal her. I inhaled unnecessarily at the disgust I felt for myself at seeing close up what I had inflicted upon Sookie.

As the doctor started to peel the second dressing on her chest away, Sookie stirred and squeezed her eyes together before relaxing again, still unconscious. I would have loved for her to have woken at that moment, knowing that I was here for her, but still I was relieved that she was recovering fast. The second wound was a mess of sutured flesh, but looked like it was steadily healing, enough so that the doctor was sure that they could be removed.

I looked upon the doctor, appreciating that she was taking her time to care for Sookie, even though such treatment was probably the duty of a nurse. She set to work removing the oxygen tube from Sookie's nose and fiddled with some of the other tubes, seemingly satisfied that her patient seemed comfortable enough without them. Then she produced a bottle of clear liquid, poured a little onto a clean gauze pad and swiped it over the sutures, dissolving them instantly. The wound looked pink and a little swollen, but the skin had neatly knit back together.

"Help me roll her on her side, I need to check her back." I complied and gently placed my arm around Sookie's front and as delicately as my warriors hands would allow, lifted her shoulder to turn her towards me and so the doctor could see her better.

Holding her in my arms, supporting her weight, her hair trailed over my face and I breathed in it's wonderful fragrance, noting that our faces were only inches from other. I remembered that we had been fairly close in the club, her smiling face and gentle touches had mesmerised me and allowed her innocent flirting. It had been a welcome change to the pathetic and downright crude attempts at seduction the fangbangers usually showed me.

I leant over slightly to see the wound on Sookie's back where the bullet had penetrated and the sight only made me growl with anger. The smooth skin of her back was marred by an angry healing scar from the impact and from where the surgeon had operated on her.

"Steady there Sheriff. She's healing nicely, thanks to the blood. The poor girl was a mess when she came in, she's lucky to be alive."

"She's not the only one..." I muttered absentmindedly as the doctor recovered Sookie with her gown.

"OK, you can lay her down again." With the utmost care, like handling a newborn child, I lay her back down on the bed, taking care to brush her hair from her face that had fallen forward in my embrace.

"She is very special, is she not?" The doctor said quietly, almost reverently as we both stared down at Sookie who looked a whole lot better without all the dressings and tubing.

"Indeed she is." I smiled a little as the doctor met my eyes, the silent communication expressing an understanding that she knew the giving of my blood to another was a major deal for me. But that she also understood that no only was she 'special' in the sense that I obviously cared for her to some extent, but that she was a special being and one to be treasured.

The doctor hadn't mentioned at all, the fact that I had caused her neck wound. Being a doc to supes, she was well aware of what blood-lust caused in a vampire and that most of the time it could be controlled. She hadn't as much said it, but inferred that she knew Sookie was a special being; one that had vague links to her own kin, so she was aware that Sookie's blood called to me like no other.

Dr Ludwig cleared away the spoiled dressings and tubing that she had removed and nodded to me as she left the room. I wasn't on my own for but a minute when Pam and Amelia returned carrying a couple of overnight bags.

"How's she been?" Amelia asked nervously as she dropped a bag into the lounge chair in the corner of the room.

"She is healing well. Dr Ludwig was just here and removed her dressings and oxygen tube."

"Has she woken at all...said anything?" She had tight hold onto Pam's hand that made me smile a little. My child cared for this woman deeply by the looks of it.

"Not really. She stirred a little when one of her dressings was being removed."

The witch smiled brightly. "That's a good sign, better than being unresponsive."

"Eric, we must go...it'll be dawn soon." Pam announced tentatively. She could see that I was reluctant to move away from Sookie, but she was right so I released Sookie's hand and trailed my fingers over hers as I stepped back.

I nodded and Pam said goodbye to Amelia as I walked to the door, pausing only to look back at Sookie's peaceful face. She really was lovely, even bloodied and bruised.

As we sped away from the hospital, I reached out to my blood that now ran through the veins of a beautiful fairy and stroked the connection. I hoped that somehow, in her slumber, she felt comforted and reassured that I would never hurt her again.

* * *

_I apologise for any errors, insomnia screws with your brain! Sookie's up next. Fairy + vampire blood = wild and wacky dreams of the citrus variety - need I say more? _


	10. Chapter 10

**DARK vs. LIGHT : DAY vs. NIGHT**

**Chapter 10**

**Note**: Thank you all so much for your supportive comments and encouragement, it really means a lot to me. I apologise for not getting back to all the reviews etc, I'm just too swamped to spare the time, but I really do appreciate them.

Things are going to get a little fruity in this chapter...just make sure your kids, or your boss aren't leaning over your shoulder reading this!

Note: _Italics _denote either dreams, internal monologue, stressed words or telepathically overheard thoughts. My apple-ogies for any mistakes.

* * *

**Sookie**

"_Lover..." A deep seductive voice calling to me from my balcony, woke me from a light dreamy slumber. The doors were open and the voile drapes were being gently blown by the warm evening breeze. _

_Sitting up warily, I took in his inky silhouette filling the doorway, the moon illuminating his golden hair like an celestial halo. The only features I could make out were his glistening eyes and his sharp white teeth with two fang like upper incisors. A prickle of fear ran through me at the sinister sight, along with a blooming desire to see the man behind the sexy voice._

"_Invite me in." The hypnotic tones of his voice were irresistible and I complied without hesitation._

"_Please come in." My voice sounded husky and eager; his eyes flashed with desire as he registered mine and he was at my bedside in a blur, bringing with him the scent of the ocean and a raw masculine scent that I breathed in deeply. Placing himself on the edge of the bed he wrapped his arms around me in an embrace, one arm around my waist and the other around my shoulder where his hand rested on the back of my neck. _

_Our eyes were locked and my heart pounded in my chest from the proximity of him. Lust and desire were in his eyes as he took in my white silk nightgown and how the delicate material barely covered me. His hand smoothed the material over my hips and down to my derriere, whilst the other at my neck traced my vein pulsing there._

_He leaned forward as he inhaled the scent of my neck, the tip of his nose tantalisingly brushing my skin as he whispered into my ear. With no desire to resist, just the desire to be pleasured by this man, I let out a breathy moan as his soft lips traced the path his nose had taken along my jawline. My head lolled back in ecstasy as soft, sensual kisses were placed down my neck towards my chest. They stopped as he looked up at me._

"_Yield to me Sookie, I have such pleasures to bring to you." I brought my head back to look at him as an overwhelming bloom of desire radiated from inside me at his words._

"_Who are you?" I asked, wide-eyed and flushed._

_He touched his fingers to my lips and shushed me. "Say you'll be mine lover."_

"_Yes, oh yes..." I looked at his lips, eager to kiss them, so allowed my tongue to steal out to taste his fingertips. As if reading my mind his hands clutched me tightly again as he devoured my mouth languorously. His delicious tongue stroked mine as his lips caressed mine; the kiss getting more and more passionate as the seconds ticked by. _

_He resumed his previous path of kissing and nibbling my neck and shoulder, lowering the straps of my gown with his teeth. The bodice slipped down to my waist, leaving my breasts exposed for him to feast upon. Laying me down on the bed, he was naked in a blur of movement and settled above me, one of his strong thighs between my legs, separating them. _

"_Min vackra, läckra älva..." (My beautiful, delicious fairy..."). He murmured as he trailed tortuously delicate kisses all over my breasts, leaving the nipples to last. They were tight and hard at being teased and when he finally licked one, my back arched at the wave of arousal it sparked in my nether regions. I let out a breathy whimper as he teased the other, licking and sucking at it like it was the most delicious tasting food._

_One of his hands now cupped my backside, holding me tight to his body where his huge erection pressed against me, giving me an idea of how much he would fill me. Another whimper of desire at the thought made me so aroused, I could feel the wetness between my legs. As if he knew it, he inhaled deeply and growled, increasing the pressure and speed of his ministrations upon my skin. Much to my disappointment, his mouth left my breasts only to nip and lick at my abdomen and hipbone, making the muscles in my stomach quiver. _

_He'd moved with stealth down my body, raising one of my legs and hooking it over his shoulder. I felt the cool touch of his tongue on the sensitive skin of my groin, making me jump as the muscles of my pussy clenched with wanton anticipation. He licked and sucked at my skin there, bypassing my eager to be touched core and worked his way down my thigh, stopping a moment to breathe in my scent and then kissed the back of my knee. Finally he licked a trail down to my Achilles tendon before gently placing my leg back and picking up the other, effectively reversing the route on the other leg._

_When he reached the junction of my leg with my groin I was writhing with desire, the touches he made with his tongue, teeth and lips drove me wild and I desperately needed to orgasm. Without any further delay, his tongue lapped at my pussy, then plunged as deep as it would go inside me and then at an unbelievable speed, vibrated on my nub relentlessly. _

_I bucked, moaned and finally cried out my climax as his tongue still lapped at me, albeit it more slowly like he was savouring a delicacy. I felt a momentary sharp sting on my nub as his fangs pierced me there, causing a sharp intake of breath as he sucked hard, bringing my orgasm to a level that had me whimpering. Tears sprung from my eyes at the intensity and I grabbed at his soft hair with both hands, my nails raking his scalp. A low rumbling growl sounded from his chest, the vibration prolonging my release as he licked my essence along with the blood I was sure must be there. _

_Without so much as a moments rest, in a blur of motion, he was inside me. The leg that was over his shoulder was now hooked over the crook of his arm, meaning that our bodies were as close together as they could possibly be. I cried out with ecstasy and pain as his huge member plunged into my virginal body. My cries were silenced by his lips on mine, effectively swallowing my cry and kissing it better. He plunged into me with abandon, animalistic moans and growls erupted every few seconds as he withdrew from me only to plunge deeply and rhythmically again and again. Each thrust was mimicked by a swirl of his tongue with mine, a frantic hand moved through my hair as he held the back of my head. _

_All this time, our eyes were locked, never leaving each others gaze...I was lost in the stunning deep blue irises, the intensity speaking the words we could not utter as we melded together in a tangle of hot and cool limbs. I was overcome with sensations and could feel my climax building inside me again, like a pressure gauge about to burst. If felt the muscles inside me begin to tense and he must have felt it as he broke our kiss and plunged his fangs into my breast._

_I screamed and arched my back, my free leg wrapped around his waist, my heel digging into his backside to pull us closer. I could feel my internal muscles spastically gripping his rock hardness, my nerve endings pulsing like electrically charged. He was close, I could tell. His body tightened like spring about to uncoil and his fangs left my breast to kiss up my neck._

_In a flash, I was astride him, my legs wrapped around his back and my still pulsing pussy impaled on him going deeper than I thought it could. He thrust up into me at super speed, the intensity of the movement against the sensitive spot inside making me mewl with abandon._

_My hands grabbed at his hair again, then stroked down his neck and kneaded the muscles in his taut shoulders, relishing his strength and power as his strong arms circled me, holding me tight in his embrace. Within seconds of us moving positions, he licked my neck and bit painlessly into my skin as he bucked and pounded into me. I felt like I was having one massive orgasm as the first just seemed to go on and on, dipping in intensity and rising again. When I felt him get impossibly bigger inside me and then burst, he withdrew from my neck, letting it drop back as I arched my back to grind onto him. He did a quick swipe of his tongue at the puncture wound and then let out a feral roar as he cried my name._

"_Sookie min Sookie!" I let his cries of exaltation wash over me as he buried his face in my hair. The room started to blur and I felt lightheaded but the sound of my name echoed on until my vision went black._

"Sookie..._Sookie_, can you hear me?" "Sookie, come on hun, it's me, Amelia."

At the sound of Amelia's name and then recognising that it was her voice, I forced my eyes open, then screwed them shut again as the blinding daylight stung them. I peeled one eye open, then the other slowly as I adjusted to the fact that what seemed like night a moment ago, was now sunny daytime.

I turned my head from side to side, registering a slight ache as I tried to make out where I was. I was in a hospital room, a sterile drably furnished room with machines by the side of the bed and not in my room at home with a very sexy vampire lover..._what? _

_Did I just dream all that? Dream that I was visited in the night, in my bedroom by a gorgeous, virile vampire that looked like Eric Northman of all people...what the hell? And not just 'visited', seduced, made love to, fucked, devoured even...Shit, I had to lay off the romance novels. _

I whimpered a little at the realisation that I had just had an X-rated dream in a hospital bed with Amelia right next to me. Was I loud, had she heard all the moaning and screaming? _I hoped to God she hadn't._ I chastised myself for concentrating on the fact that I'd had a sexy dream when I should be answering my friend and finding out what the hell was going on with me.

"Amelia..." I croaked out, my mouth was parched and I licked my lips thirstily.

"Here...drink this." She grabbed a plastic cup from the side of the bed that was filled halfway with water and held it to my lips. Standing by my side, she helped me hold the cup myself and stroked my arm with her free hand.

She pulled the cup away and placed it back on the unit by the bedside. "Thanks." I said, my voice a little clearer for the lubrication to my throat. I'd tasted an odd flavour when the water touched my tongue, like it was washing away something that lingered. I frowned as I couldn't imagine what it was. It wasn't unpleasant, just unusual.

"Did they feed me?" I looked at Amelia as I asked, an odd look forming on her face.

"Er...no, you were pretty out of it the whole time...why do you ask?" She was hiding something, the thoughts in her head were a little fuzzy, maybe it was the drugs I was on.

"Why do I taste something odd in my mouth then? Did I have oral medication?" Amelia laughed nervously as she chewed on her lip.

"_You...could...say...that_." I glared at her, knowing something was up.

"What is it Amelia? _Tell me_..." She gulped and then moved to sit in the chair by the bed.

"Well..._Eric_ was here." My brows shot up. I clearly remembered what had happened and although I hadn't had time to process what had happened, the last memory I have is of him sucking at my neck..._just like in the dream!_ _Oh hell, what was going on with me, was I going crazy?_

"And..." I encouraged her to continue.

"You were pretty banged up Sookie, you had to be resuscitated, operated on and then brought up here to recover. Pam and Eric came..."

I wasn't surprised at the 'pretty banged up' part, as I remembered the pain and the chaos, but the fact that the vampires came to see me was a shock. Why did they think that I would want anything to do with them after Eric attacked me?

"Go on..." I urged.

"Well, Eric...he was majorly concerned about you and guilty as hell even though I'd never say it to his face. He offered to heal you Sook, you were in really bad shape...I let him..._sorry?" _Amelia looked contrite, but I really didn't understand.

I was under the impression that vampires didn't feel concern or guilt and that 'eating' my kind was a delicacy. The fact that I'd brought them fairy deli take-out, I pushed to the back of my mind. What a fucked up night it turned out to be...how could I be so naive, trusting and so... _Oh God_, I flirted outrageously with Eric, a vampire...practically inviting him to taste test me whilst I sat on his lap in the middle of a vampire bar.

_Fucking hell!_ I'm never drinking alcohol again...

"You let him _what_, Amelia?" I replied in a quiet, timid voice. I was dreading the answer on top of everything else that had just had jolted my memory.

"He gave you his blood...to heal you quicker." Amelia was blushing with shame, her thoughts were becoming clearer and I picked up some intriguing thoughts.

_Really cares for her...a vampire offering blood is a big deal...and ancient blood at that...be able to sense her._

I thought for a few minutes, pretty sure that I was paler than before as I felt the blood drain out of my face. What did it mean for me to have Eric's blood? Should I be grateful even though it's his fault I may have needed it in the first place? What effects does it have?

Not realising I'd asked those questions out loud, Amelia nervously tried to answer them, one by one.

"Well, apparently vamps don't offer their blood to humans...or fairies come to mention it, very often as it's only normally given in bonds and when turning a human into a vamp. Pam tells me you're the first person since her, that Eric's given his blood to...so it's got to be a big deal to him. He certainly looked concerned enough to want to help you and I was so worried about you that I let him when he asked. It has magical healing powers that the general public don't know about and you can understand why. The only side effect that Pam warned me about is that you may have vivid dreams and Eric will be able to sense you for a while..._are you mad at me_?" She could see my eyes widen at the last two parts.

That explained the porno-dream then. Even though the vampire lover who came to me in my dream never gave his name, it was clear as day to me now that I must have been subconsciously dreaming about Eric. Hell, who wouldn't, the man was downright sinful and gorgeous to top...when he wasn't gnawing on your jugular. But the sensing thing was...well, I didn't know what to make of that. Did it mean that he'd know where I was and how I felt? _Probably_. Great, _just great_.

An ancient vampire, who _loved _ the taste of my blood had traced a vamp-style homing beacon in me and so he could probably track me down when he was feeling peckish. I couldn't comprehend the fact that Amelia said he was concerned. If he was feeling that bad then he could attempt to apologise to me, but I wasn't sure I would accept and definitely not in person until he could guarantee he wasn't going to pounce on me like a cat on a mouse, metaphorically speaking.

Was I mad? No. Amelia was just doing what she thought was best and accepting the help of anyone to help her friend, I couldn't be mad at her for that. Even if the implications were complicated, I knew she was genuinely concerned for my health, even if the vamps were concerned for other reasons.

"No, I'm not mad. Thank you for being here for me Amelia, it must have been hard for you." I took her hand in comfort, letting her know sincerely that I didn't hold it against her, even though I didn't know all the implications of what taking vampire blood could be.

"Oh thank the goddess, I've been beside myself with worry about you since you got here. Not to mention feeling really, really shitty about taking you to Fangtasia in the first place. What a dumb, fucking move! I should have taken you to that strip club for women instead, not thrown you into the lion's den. I need my head checked!" She was frantic, her words rambling together.

"Amelia..._Amelia! _It's fine really. It could have happened anywhere and yes, maybe we should have gone to the stripper place. That sounds more like it, tell me about it and tell me everything that happened after '_you know what_' in the club.

Amelia proceeded to tell me about how she got us out of there by magically transporting us to the hospital as chaos broke out in Fangtasia. She explained the extent of my injuries and I couldn't help but cringe at how damaged I sounded. I was almost a little relieved that I'd had the blood now as I wasn't ready to join Gran just yet.

She went on to say that I'd had surgery and that whilst Eric watched over me, Pam took her back to the house for a quick shower and change. She'd grabbed some personal items for me and made sure the 'boys' were let out and fed. That was a relief, I'd completely forgotten about the pups and felt extremely guilty. I missed them and would make it up to them when I got back.

Dr Ludwig came in to check on me and was happy to see me awake and bright. She explained a little more about the effects of vampire blood and that she wasn't sure of the implications where fae and vampire blood mixed. I was surprised she knew what I was, but she admitted that her kind...which she didn't reveal, were strongly related to the fae so she could sense it. I was glad to have somebody treat me who knew about my kind and asked her if she could tell me more of the fae. We agreed to meet up the following week when I started at the school, stating that she would be there three days a week.

When the doctor left, telling me that she'd like to keep me in one more night then I could go home tomorrow, Amelia continued with her recitation of events and mentioned that Eric had been asking how I knew about the shooter and that she hadn't told him my 'secret'. I was grateful for that as I was sure that would be one more thing he'd like to have from me. Finally she lightened the mood with all the gory details about 'Heroes & Hooligans', the strip club for women in the next town over. When I felt up to it, she was going to take me there and we'd have a proper girlie night out. _No vampires allowed._

"That would be a shame...I've got a pretty good routine for 'Moves Like Jagger'."

Eric was standing in the doorway, a posy of white daisies in his hand, looking every inch as sexy as the last time I saw him. Low slung dark jeans with a charcoal v-neck sweater that looked soft enough to touch...my heart started to race and my breathing was shallow but it wasn't from desire...it was from fear.

Amelia, still caught up in the previous hilarity laughed at his comment, oblivious that I was hyperventilating next to her.

Eric was by my side in an instant, concern written all over his face. His proximity was overwhelming and the panic increased making him slink away from me, a hurt look upon his face. Visions of his teeth sinking into me made me cover my neck in fear of being attacked.

I screamed, a terrified, tearful scream that made my throat hurt. I jumped off the bed and ran to the corner, cowering behind an armchair like a frightened child.

"Don't hurt me...leave me alone! Please, just stay away from me!" I whispered as I peeked out of my haven.

For a moment, I saw sadness in his eyes, then it cleared and he lay the posy on the floor in front of me.

"I'm sorry Sookie...I hope one day you will be able to forgive me. Goodbye." His words were soft and sincere and I relaxed a little as the fear started to dissipate. I closed my eyes and let out a huge breath that I didn't realise I was holding.

When I opened my eyes again he was gone.

* * *

**Disclaimer, I own no rights to the SVM or TB. and the folks at HBO do and are consequently rich from it. I, sadly am piss poor. **


	11. Chapter 11

**DARK vs. LIGHT : DAY vs. NIGHT**

**Chapter 11**

**Note**: Thank you so much for your reviews, they make my day. One or two peeps were 'distressed' (to put it mildly) at Sookie's reaction to Eric. You were all sad for Eric and rightly so, but..._BUT _remember, the last time she saw him (dream notwithstanding), he was chomping on her neck. She's Fae, her fears about faeries and vampires are forefront in her mind now that she's actually a victim of a vamp attack. Regardless of whether it was intentional or not, it still happened and we can't expect her to just jump into his arms...he's gonna have work to regain her trust and allay her fears. Remember how vamp blood affects emotions and attraction, it's still there and there will definitely be more dreams.

On a lighter note, I'm glad you enjoyed imagining Eric's dance routine. Listen to the words, they're straight out of his naughty little mouth.

I will shut up now and start writing...

* * *

**Sookie**

I felt like I was having an out of body experience. My insides ached with a pressure that I found hard to describe...almost like centrifugal force. As if my body was in one place but so quickly propelled in another that I felt split in two.

My physical body was rigid - frozen in terror at the proximity of the vampire that attacked me. Psychologically, my brain focused on the memory of his teeth tearing at my skin after being shot and consequently my nervous system swamped my body with adrenaline. It raced through my veins, sending me into a state of panic. In a truly surreal manner, his face morphed into one of pure evil that snarled and contorted in bloodlust, his eyes hungry for my blood.

Deep inside me, in my very marrow, my reaction was the reverse. My blood boiled in my veins, recognising the vampire as Eric...recognising his blood. It called to me and the draw to him warred with my fear until I felt like I was going crazy.

I wanted Eric to go as I couldn't stand the feeling for one more second, but as soon as he left I felt it. The terror subsided but the need to be close to him remained. It wasn't as intense as when he was in the same room, but it was strong enough for me to realise that his blood in my body caused feelings of longing. I hadn't known him long enough to be so attracted to him that I was smitten, but there was definitely attraction there before. It was now mixed with caution. I'd been reckless to flirt with him before; my natural instincts dampened by alcohol and sexual tension.

Peeking out from my hiding place, I looked at Amelia, who was standing by the side of the bed not knowing whether to approach me or not. I noticed that there was a pretty posy on top of the covers, which must have been abandoned by Eric in his haste to leave me as I screamed at him.

I felt a tiny stab of guilt that I had to ungraciously driven Eric away. He'd brought flowers and left when I asked him to, so his intentions couldn't have been that nefarious, could they? He had given me his blood too, so maybe he was genuinely concerned for me and the shock of seeing him so soon after the attack brought on my panic attack.

Something tapped at my subconscious, just out of reach and then _bam!_The tone of his voice from the naughty dream replayed and I heard the words of his plea for forgiveness. He was remorseful. Gran had always taught me to be the better person, to forgive the indiscretions of others as it showed a stronger character to be so will to redeem.

I scooted out from behind the chair and sat on the floor cross legged, my head in my hands.

"Amelia..._what _am I going to do about him?" I looked up to her and she walked slowly over to me and slunk down to join me on the floor. What a sorry sight we must have looked if anyone came into the room, our heads together like schoolgirls in conference over their boyfriend break-up.

"It's going to be fine Sook, you just freaked out. I would've done exactly the same if I came face to face with the _person_ who feasted on me..._sorry for being so graphic_." She looked contrite, but I wasn't fazed. Amelia's thoughts were always a mirror image of exactly what was on her mind, so I couldn't blame her. If she was a TV, she'd be wide-screen, high-definition with surround sound.

"I did freak...it's like I had a flashback and it just got worse. I felt really weird like I wanted to go to him but was terrified at the same time. It doesn't make sense."

"That's where you're wrong my friend. Here's how I see it. You were into him, _BIG_ time at the club and if it wasn't for the religious nut with a death wish, I reckon you two would have been making whoopee before the hour was up..."

She paused as I turned bright red and hid my face in my hands. "...he's a vamp, vamps love fairy blood...it's so intoxicating that he went Hannibal Lecter on your neck. I'm not saying that it's acceptable, but I can understand his reaction to some extent. What with his blood inside you, I reckon the attraction you felt before has been intensified to the point that it's an irresistible pull to you now. Rationally speaking, your body wants him but your mind is scared _shitless_."

I had to smile as I took Amelia's hand, her explanation may have been crass and a little bit comical, but it was the explanation I needed.

"I thought I was going to spend hours, days even, trying to come to terms with all of this mess, but you're a wise witch Amelia Broadway."

"I may be a bit dizzy sometimes but when it comes to matters of the heart and magic, I'm _the_oracle." She beamed at me and squeezed my hand.

Suddenly jumping to her feet, she pulled me up gently and gave me a big hug which I returned with heart. I was so glad to have her support and I didn't blame her one bit for taking me to Fangtasia. She'd thought that we'd be OK; she trusted that Pam and Eric would watch out for us and couldn't possibly have known what was going to occur.

The gracious side of me; the side that gran had instilled into my very core, wanted to give Eric the chance to make amends...if he wanted to. I'd always been that way, heaven knows that I gave Quinn more leeway than I really should have done...until the night of my grans death, of course. Now I wouldn't pee on him if he was on fire. It was very un-Christian of me, but I didn't feel bad about it one iota.

"Are those for me?" I gestured to the daisies on the bed.

"Yep, I think the boy is in love with you." Amelia grinned playfully.

"_Shut up_! For starters, he's definitely _not _a boy and so _not_ in love with me. I'm pretty sure that vamps don't do romance...it's a nice gesture though."

I walked over to the bed and picked up the daisies. They were beautifully presented in a posy wrapped with huge shiny green leaves and a yellow ribbon to match the bloom's centres. There was a card tucked inside, so I sat on the edge of the bed and nervously opened it.

_My heart is heavy, shamed and chastised,  
__Your kindness abused; our chance has died  
__So, with cold hands folded over a still heart,  
__I yearn to know whether we can go back to the start,  
__Wronged and wrongdoer, each with bloodied face,  
__Ashamed for myself, and pitying my race,  
__Our common sorrow, like a mighty wave,  
__Swept all my pride away, with trembling hope you forgave_

"Wow." The words sounded out in stereo as Amelia read the words over my shoulder.

"The boys' a poet. See I said he was in love with you!" Amelia elbowed me in my side, which I responded to with a groan.

"Oh Goddess, I'm sorry Sook...I forgot. Here let me help you." She pushed me gently onto the bed and started fussing over me.

"Amelia its fine, just a little twinge." I held my side for a moment and the pain subsided and I was left wondering what the hell Eric Northman was playing at.

I was so unsure of what to do about him. I'd gone from being unbelievable attracted to him - at first site, to being the object of his bloodlust and then extremely flattered that he'd written me poetry and given me flowers. Being a simple girl at heart, flowers and kind words went far. I re-read the note, smiling indulgently that the words were just for me.

The calligraphy was a work of art and somehow I knew it was Eric's hand. He'd probably been around long enough to master then penmanship displayed so beautifully. I bit my lip as the words sunk in and tried desperately not to cry but was failing.

I brought the daisies up to my nose; they had a delicate summery fragrance that reminded me of grans garden. They were so simple, so _me. _ I hated elaborate displays, or bouquets brought in haste with little thought given to the intended. There was thought put into this choice and my heart clenched at the gesture. True to the proper manners that gran had instilled in me, I would send him a 'thank you' note for the flowers...an olive branch of sorts.

I would give him a chance, but that didn't mean that I wasn't going to put a magical impenetrable barrier and a couple of guard dogs in front of me before I spoke with him.

It would be a while before I let my guard down for the vampire. He probably thought he could charm the panties off me, which I had to admit was a distinct possibility from the poem and what I remembered from our flirting at Fangtasia.

That didn't mean that I was going to make it easy for him. In fact I intended to make it quite _hard._

* * *

**Eric**

I half expected Sookie to react to me the way she did. It was a common reaction of victims of vampire attacks to be terrified, and rightly so. It was normally the only reaction too as death likely followed.

A swell of relief flooded through me at that thought. I'd never regretting killing anyone in my whole existence, but the mere thought of harming Sookie let alone killing her, was abhorrent.

Feeling her reaction through the blood tie, I knew she was conflicted at seeing me. My blood called out to me and I could feel the recognition of my presence in her body, but her mind was winning the psychological battle waging in her mind. The adrenaline and the stench of fear from her were overruling any attraction that may have been there before and so it was with regret that I turned and left as she demanded.

I knew for a fact that if she gave me a chance to show her that I wasn't a complete monster, the fear would subside and hopefully give way to re-building what we started at the club.

Remembering back to how enjoyable I found her company before the shit hit the fan, so to speak, I thought of how comfortable I felt with her on my lap. Of course there was sexual attraction, I most definitely wanted to fuck her but there was the fascination too.

Pam said I was 'pussy-whipped' already, which I didn't take to kindly to. I whipped pussy, not the other way around.

I cringed at my own words as I lurked outside the window of Sookie's hospital room, eavesdropping on their conversation. She might have demanded that I leave her but she never said I should leave the hospital or for how long. Now I found myself being a stalker, not being able to drag myself out of her sight.

What a pussy...Fuck! I really _was_ pussy-whipped. Fucking Pam! She'd be ecstatic if she knew what I was doing right now. I hated that I was behaving like a smitten teenager; I was a fucking warrior for Odin's sake!

I would have punched the wall in frustration but knew that I would give away my location for sure. Sookie was disturbed enough by me at the moment without adding 'peeping Tom' to the melt.

Surreptitiously peeping (ha!) through the window at Sookie, my frustration dissipated and I fantasized about her once again. She was so stunning; even in a hospital gown and not made up she held my attention. The glow to her skin and lilt to her voice just captivated me.

Hearing her voice her concerns over me and Amelia's surprisingly rational explanation, made me hopeful that I could salvage Sookie's opinion of me. It was the feelings inside her that made me smile with smug satisfaction though; I could feel that she was considering giving me a chance to explain myself.

Her emotions swelled when she read the poem I wrote for her; the initial surprise she felt moved into elation and wonder. Fortunately I was a good judge of character, so I had an idea of what Sookie was like the first time I talked to her and from Amelia's words about her friend. She was a beautiful creature, but not vain. Flirtatious but not promiscuous. Principled but not immovable. Generous and forgiving. Her beauty was not skin deep...it enveloped her whole being for she was truly the best person he had ever met.

My peeping was cut short by the doctor coming to check on her and so I made sure I was out of sight. After a few minutes of examining Sookie she was declared fit enough to return home and within another ten minutes I watched as they left in a cab.

Taking to the sky as fast as I could in order to beat them back to their homes; I spent most of the journey chastising myself for stalking her...but that still didn't stop me.

Landing on the roof of my house, I opened the secure hatch that took me into the attic. I rushed to my study and found some personalised stationery; a heavy cream sheet with my family crest and my initials embossed in gold leaf. I wanted to leave a note for Sookie that would let her know that I wouldn't give up trying to get back into her good graces and that I would be at her service should she need me.

Knowing that they would probably be another ten minutes in the cab, I folded the note over and went to pop it through her mailbox. As I went to leave the house a thought came to me and I returned to my study.

Little did anyone know, but I was unofficially a classically trained artist. During the eras when both Renaissance and Impressionist artists flourished, I found myself in the company of several great artists. I had long since learnt to feed discriminatorily and was wise enough to realise that feeding on any of these talented artists would be detrimental to society. Due to past experience with any work of art, be it visual or musical had the foresight to realise that in time, their work would be admired beyond their wildest dreams. In exchange for their tutelage, I would often pay their lodgings and whatever habits they insisted were necessary to fuel their creative muse. Being able to use my glamour came in very useful for procuring whores, drugs or alcohol and it was an eye opener to watch first hand how these ancient performance enhancers inspired the works of some truly phenomenal artists. Another benefit of my ability to glamour was that I was the owner of several, now priceless, works of art.

Upon the note, I sketched my vision of Sookie's profile holding a daffodil to her nose, as if to smell it and filled the body of the bloom with golden ink. During the Eighties, Pam went through a night class phase which she found invaluable for finding 'companions', since we were still keeping our true identities secret. Due to this obsession, I knew more about pottery, dressmaking and flower arranging than a thousand year old Viking vampire should.

Having Pam enthusiastically share her newfound floral education with me in a weekly basis, I knew it wasn't the season for daffodils and that their meaning (if given), was a request for forgiveness and a new start. I had a feeling that Sookie was a well brought-up woman and would recognise the gesture.

I admired my handiwork and sped out to deliver the note just as I heard a car coming down the road. Taking off vertically, I arced back over Sookie's house and landed in the trees behind my house where I had a pretty good view into some of the windows of her house. Of course, I would be able to hear every word they spoke, so I waited patiently for her to arrive home.

Contrary to my public persona; I was a closet romantic, but as from tonight, I was also the oldest stalker in town.

* * *

**Disclaimer, I own no rights to the SVM or TB. and the folks at HBO do.**


	12. Chapter 12

**DARK vs. LIGHT : DAY vs. NIGHT**

**Chapter 12**

**Note**: You guys and gals truly lift me up with your fab comments, thank you very much. Sorry I don't get the chance to reply to you all. Life is mad here in the UK at the moment. School holidays and the Olympics! Crazy!

Not beta'd, so apologies for any errors.

* * *

**Sookie**

I could have danced a little jig when the doctor declared me fit to go home; being stuck in hospital was not my idea of peaceful recuperation. Every word spoken was a challenge to keep out of my head and it was starting to give me a headache.

Just thinking about going back to my new home and seeing Thor and Sif put extra pep in my step, which I definitely needed. Even though I was healed, I had that residual feeling of being run over by a truck, like ghost pains. It was probably my brain telling my body that I was still healing, although the vampire blood in me had healed everything way quicker than nature or medical intervention could.

Amelia raced around my room as soon as the doc gave the O.K for us to leave, collecting clothes and toiletries and throwing them haphazardly into a bag I realised she must have brought from home.

"Amelia." I said, with a slight lump in my throat. "I want to thank you for being here for me...I really appreciate it." I took her hand and smiled warmly. In the short time I had known Amelia we had become as close as I imagined sisters could be. I had never had that kind of relationship with anyone, not even Tara and was thoroughly grateful for it...for her.

"Ah, Sook...you don't need to thank me. I'd do it all again...er, without the bullets and fangs part I mean." She grinned wryly. Her sense of humour was often bordering on the inappropriate, but with Amelia - she just used humour to ease tension. One of grans favourite sayings was "laughter is the best medicine" and in this case she was spot on.

I couldn't help but giggle as she made light of the situation. "You're a little mischievous minx Amelia Broadway, but I love you!"

She went to give me one of her bear hugs, but thought better of it and wrapped her arms gently around me and we rocked and swayed, revelling in our sisterhood.

"_You_, my mind-reading friend, are a vamp magnet and a very naughty fairy - we're made for each other." She teased.

"Maybe we should forget guys..." I pulled back and winked at her playfully.

She stared at me wide eyed and catching flies. "Sookie Stackhouse, whatever would your grandmother think?"

I laughed, thinking about how gran was always far more tolerant than most folks around Bon Temps to anything different, be it black people, homosexuals or telepaths. She was the only one who fully understood what I went through on a day to day basis and as far as she was concerned, my 'curse' was a gift. It was clear to my now why she was so open-minded; after all, she'd had a fairy lover and I wouldn't have been surprised if she knew all about the existence of vampires and other supes because of this.

"She'd probably laugh and say "each to their own" and tell me to enjoy myself!" Gran had always been the best like that. I really missed her.

"Sounds sounded like a fine woman with a good head on her shoulders; just like her granddaughter." Amelia kissed me on the cheek; it was a warm sisterly peck of affection as we shared a light-hearted moment and just what I needed after the heaviness of what happened with Eric earlier.

* * *

We headed back to Nordic Pines in a cab a short while later and I was relieved to see my house come into view as we drove through our select little community. I got more and more excited as we got closer as I was so keen to see the pups.

When we'd paid the cab, I got out of the backseat gingerly and glanced up at the house. I could hear sweet little excited yelps already; they must have really good senses to know that their mistress was outside the house and my heart gave a little twinge at how connected we already were.

Turning my head towards the trees, I could have sworn I sensed something but after a few seconds staring at nothing in particular, decided to pay it no mind and put it down to the recent trauma and my excitement. Amelia took my bag and I rummaged for my keys, setting the fluff-balls off barking as they scrambled to meet us.

I was met by a barrage of little paws, sloppy kisses and some very sweet little howls of excitement. Kneeling down on the floor, the front door still open and Amelia waiting patiently, I allowed my babies to jump all over me, secretly hoping that they weren't going to pee all over the place in their excitement. My face was covered in puppy slobber but I didn't care one bit; I hugged them both to me as much as their warm squirming bodies would allow.

Amelia was giggling at the sight of our reunion. "See, who needs men?" It was certainly true that my two pups filled a huge gap in my heart, but I wasn't sure that I could give up men. I had proof enough of my attraction to them by the way my body felt as I thought about Eric.

Part of me recoiled at the violent side of him but the other half, well...let's just say that on the journey home my body may have been in the cab, but my mind was certainly in the gutter. Why I felt so horny for him after what I'd just gone through was a mystery to me and it started me wondering whether his blood had effects other than just healing. Certainly I'd been attracted to him at the bar, but now it was if someone had lit a fuse on my libido and at that meant that at some point there would need to be an explosion...but that was a subject to dwell on later.

As the boys calmed down, Amelia slid past to take my bag through as I stood up and sorted through my mail that had collected in the wire box underneath the mail slot. It was a necessary piece of equipment if I didn't want my post soggy or mangled by little teeth.

There was folded note on the top, which meant that it was recently arrived; the rest being just the usual utilities letters and one from the school I was starting at. When I unfolded the paper, I was surprised to see the familiar handwriting of Eric, but it was the drawing that struck me; I ignored the text.

At the bottom of the page was a pencil sketch of my profile and I sucked in a breath at how expertly I was depicted. I was holding a flower - a daffodil; they weren't common in Louisiana, but I knew them to be popular in England; I'd seen them enough on period dramas that I'd watched and read about them in various novels. I also knew that they represented forgiveness and change.

I sucked in a breath and willed my heart to calm as it fluttered in my chest. This was by far the most romantic gesture I had ever received and it really affected me. First the flowers and poem, now the drawing and as I read the words, the offer of his assistance. It was straight out of an Austen novel, like Willoughby and Marianne...except in this situation, Eric had hurt me before the romance _not after._

_Phew. _Was it insane that I was attracted to and moved by the man...vampire that nearly killed me?_ Probably. _I blew out the breath that I'd been holding for a good ten seconds. The note was pinched out of my hand by Amelia's lightening reflexes and as she read it, she smiled and raised her eyebrows. "I'm not gonna say it, but..."

"Yeah, yeah, you told me so. OK, I'll admit, he's very smooth and sounds sincere...it's just going to take me a little while to come around to the idea Amelia." I answered reluctantly.

"Uh huh. Joking aside Sook, Eric may have taken a chunk out of you and I'm still feeling guilty for putting us in that situation..." I tried to interrupt her to tell her that she couldn't have predicted that I'd get shot and start a riot, but she waved me off as she continued.

"But I genuinely think that Eric is the best vampire I know. He's honourable and fair and from the looks of how he's being towards you now; he's a big softy which I'm sure he'd kill me for if he heard me. He's certainly different where you're concerned and I've _never_seen him act that way except with Pam. And to give you his blood...that's a big deal Sook."

We hadn't even got past the hallway and yet we were having this deep conversation about a deadly vampire who was supposedly smitten on me. I could barely contemplate the implications involved in that minefield; I had so many other things to think about that my love life was just going to have to sit on the back burner for a while.

"I know..." I answered quietly, smiling a little. "Come on let's get my stuff in and the pups settled. I need to crash, I'm ready to drop."

"Actually Sook, do you mind if I go home tonight? I miss my bed, but I'll stay if you really want me to..."

I couldn't deny her a good night's sleep, she must have been really uncomfortable sleeping in a hospital chair (if she slept at all), and was just as tired as me. "Of course honey, you must be exhausted. Go ahead, I'll be fine." She looked long and hard at me, as if she was trying to read my sincerity and then nodded in acquiescence.

We hugged and agreed to meet up the next day for lunch and we said our good nights. Walking through the house that had only been my home for a short time, I felt the comfort of familiar surrounding start to relax me. I was weary, but tense, the conflicting feelings about Eric were starting to overwhelm me and I craved some peace.

Opening the doors at the back of the house, I let the boys out to bound around for a while and do their business. They'd been pretty good whilst I'd been out of the house, they'd used the mess mats that I'd left near their basket, so there weren't any little 'presents' for me to clear up. They raced out barking their little heads off as they'd done when they met me at the door and stopped at the edge of the property as they projected their noise-making at the tree line. I figured there must be a squirrel or a bird that had caught their attention.

"Hush you two; you'll wake the dead with your yapping!" I admonished half-heartedly.

As I gazed out into my garden and at the lake and trees beyond my boundary, I felt that odd presence again. Now that I wasn't distracted, I concentrated on focusing where it was coming from and zoned in on the trees a little over from my house. There was something in the trees but I couldn't make out what it was; the space where a brain signature would be completely void of brain activity.

Standing looking in the same direction for a few minutes, trying to comprehend what it could be, it came to me. I had a vague recollection of being at Fangtasia and noticing that vampire thoughts were silent to me. In a light bulb moment, I realised that it must be Eric; he did live next door after all and after the gestures he made earlier, it didn't surprise me that he'd be hanging around.

I actually found the prospect of him lurking around slightly creepy, but also a little flattering, so bashfully looked away before calling the pups in. As I walked back into the house, I turned to look at the trees directly where I sensed the void that must be his mind.

"Thank you for the portrait...it's beautiful." I closed the doors behind me and instead of settling the pups in their basket, decided to let them sleep in my room as I felt like the company - even though I'd told Amelia I would be fine. They scrambled up the stairs ahead of me as I slowly pulled my weary body upstairs to bed.

The bed was too high for them to jump on to so I gingerly lifted them both and they turned in a dozen circles before settling down, curled into one another like a canine yin and yang figure. I gave their little heads a nuzzle and padded off to the en-suite to take a well needed shower.

After a lazy scrub in the shower, I hadn't the energy to do another thing, not even dry my hair before flopping down into bed. I couldn't even be bothered to put a nightdress on; it was a warm night and I was too lazy to get up and put one on.

I positioned myself on my side with my leg bent, snuggled face down into my pillow and breathed deeply the clean smell of fresh linens. As I felt my eyes droop, I wondered whether I'd dream again tonight and if so, hoped it would be a repeat of the previous night, but with a happier ending. I drifted off to sleep thinking about all the things I needed to do the next day. Even though it was unavoidable, I felt like I'd neglected the pups and I needed to prepare myself for starting my new job in a couple of days.

That was another thing I was torn about. If Eric hadn't taken it upon himself to give me his blood, I may well be still in the hospital days or even weeks ahead. That would mean I'd miss the start of my teaching job and I really didn't want to start off on the wrong foot there by being off sick before I'd officially started. Granted I was under the supervision of Dr Ludwig and she knew what had happened to me; but this was my first job and I wanted to do it right.

As much as the thought of consuming vampire blood disturbed me, it would be wholly ungrateful of me to not be thankful. I wasn't raised that way, even if there wasn't a precedent in the southern manners etiquette guide for it. I sighed and let all the tension out of my body and welcomed a good night's sleep in my own bed.

* * *

_Vaguely aware of soft fingers trailing down my body, I blinked open my eyes and was met with the ice blue stare of my night time lover. The heat from his gaze belied his cool touch as his breath trailed after the fingers that tantalised my skin. His eyes held mine as fingers and lips ghosted over my torso leaving goose bumps in their wake and teasing me with thoughts of ecstasy to come._

_Soft wet kisses on my stomach and pubic bone made my vaginal muscles clench in anticipation and I squirmed with the desire building inside me. One large hand pressed down on my lower stomach whilst the other slid around to grasp my buttock and pull me closer to his mouth._

_My senses were overloaded as his cool, velvety tongue teasingly flicked my clit once, twice, three times before the sensation of his breath made me buck my hips and moan loudly. A gentle rumble from his chest accompanied slow, lazy licks around the outside of my core, driving me wild as he sucked and nibbled everywhere but where I wanted him to focus. _

_I reached down to grab his hair with hands, fisting it tightly and pushing my groin up to meet his mouth, urgently needing more._

_"More...please!" I gasped out. _

_Before I caught my next breath, his tongue plunged into me and his wet lips sucked on my nub, causing my climax to burst out of me. I screamed his name as I jerked and arched in pure rapture._

Barking startled me out of my dream. I jerked upright, flushed and breathing heavily, the slick fingers of one hand betraying the fact that I'd just been pleasuring myself whilst dreaming about Eric..._again_.

The boys were jumping up at the balcony doors, obviously spooked by something outside as they were yapping and growling at the darkness. I swung my legs over the side of the bed and tested them to see if they worked after the mind-blowing orgasm that I'd just had. Wobbling slightly as I ambled over to Thor and Sif, I crouched down to calm the pups as I tried to work out what had them so worked up.

Peering out into the inky night, I couldn't really see much as there wasn't much of a glow cast by the moon. There were a few clouds and it obscured the pale moonlight and so I could only catch a glimpse of the outline of the trees or the sparkle of the water from the lake.

"What's the fuss now you two? More critters?" I ruffled their heads and they stopped barking and started licking my hands whenever they could reach them. The way they tried to act all fierce with their little waggy tails and tiny barks was so cute that I couldn't be mad that they'd disturbed my sleep (_or my seriously hot dream). _

"I know you're only doing your best guard pup duty, but next time an owl or a bat swoops by, keep it to yourself hey?" I kissed them both on the tops of their heads and turned to go back to bed, the warm furry bundles nearly tripping me up as they raced to get back onto the bed. I hadn't sensed Eric nearby again, unless he'd been scared off by my furry little protectors, the thought of which I snorted at.

After hoisting them up onto the bed, brother and sister got snuggled together and seemed to fall asleep instantly. I only wished I could say the same. My thoughts were plagued with why I was having such vivid dreams about Eric and whether my mind was playing tricks on me when I felt like I could sense him nearby. I was convinced the odd sensation of the void was him along with that sixth sense you get when you know you're being watched. Maybe I was just being paranoid.

If I wasn't such a chicken I'd ask him about the effects of his blood and why he was stalking me. Maybe stalking was a little extreme..._spying or peeping _maybe. Not being fuelled by alcohol and the infectious confidence of Amelia, I just wasn't sure if I was ready to speak face to face with him yet. It wasn't that I didn't want to; he was by far the most handsome man I had ever seen, in the flesh and in fantasy. It was blindingly obvious I was attracted to him by the dreams I was having, no man had ever made me feel as sexually charged as he did and we hadn't even got past first base before disaster struck.

Perhaps I would take the old fashioned approach and write to him, it seemed likely that he would respond to such a communication from the style of his note. This way I could thank him without taking the risk that he would eat me again. A brief flash of regret filled my heart with mysterious longing. If it came to it, would we be able to have any kind of relationship, being what were? Was it best to just leave things be and not get drawn into what could potentially be disastrous?

I tossed and turned, the pros and cons of whether I should approach Eric messing with my psyche. At dawn I gave up and went downstairs to make some coffee, the pups were still crashed out on my bed. Funny how they went crazy at some unknown disturbance in the night, but me getting out of bed and moving about my room didn't stir them from their deep slumber. _Guard dogs indeed!_

The morning light was uplifting, flooding the house with warmth and the promise of a bright sunny day. I felt good and decided to make the most of it by putting the finishing touches to my own brand of interior design as I still hadn't got around to putting out my pictures and treasures from Bon Temps. After a couple of hours pottering around, I stopped to admire how cosy the house now looked with a few personal possessions that took away the impersonal nature of the decor.

I made myself a hearty breakfast and was positively drooling by the time it was cooked. My stomach felt empty and rightly so, it'd been days since I'd eaten anything solid. The pup's food radar must have activated, as I heard the tiny thud of feet and scrambling claws as they raced for scraps. They were still on their dry puppy diet, but couldn't resist their little faces as they begged for bacon and caved in.

It was a lovely morning, so I decided to take the pups for a walk to explore the area a little. I hadn't had much of a chance since I'd got them, having only acquainted them with the garden and the area directly outside the front of the house. Having nipped upstairs to change into some shorts and a t-shirt, I grabbed my sneakers and leashed the pups ready for our outing.

I'd got them extendable leashes and so they could go a little distance but could pull them back if I needed to. They weren't ready to be off the leash yet; puppy training classes started in a few days, the day after I started work and I was looking forward to letting them just run free in the woods behind the house when we went for walks. They were bundles of endless energy and running it off would hopefully calm their overexcited behaviour come evening time.

The street was empty, no cars in the driveways of the houses nearby, including Eric and Amelia's. Her blinds were still drawn, so assumed she must be sleeping in and I knew without a doubt that Eric wouldn't be up, so was safe from my romantic stalker for the time being. With a bounce in my step to match that of the pups as they rambled along, chewing at the leash and stopping to sniff every minute or so, we made our way out of the estate and along the cleared walkers' track that led around the perimeter of the lake and into the woods.

As Thor and Sif raised their little wet noses to sniff the air, I mimicked them and breathed in the fresh morning air. The scent of dewy grass, damp earth and the unmistakable pine fragrance from the trees all around us was invigorating and I felt it revive me to my very core. I'd always loved the outdoors and was a big fan of sunbathing, getting out as much as I could when I was living in Bon Temps with gran. There was something heavenly about absorbing the warmth of the sun and breathing in the untainted oxygen created by the flora and fauna that surrounded my family's home. It was almost magical to me..._perhaps its part of my nature?_I mused silently.

The magical side of me was something that I'd only briefly thought about. I wished there was some way that I could find out more about my fae family and my abilities. As I walked, I tried to comprehend that I wasn't completely human and that I had abilities that I could only imagine. If my fae family wasn't going to appear to me anytime soon, then I would most probably have to teach myself if that was at all possible. I hadn't the first clue what I was capable of and I supposed that trial and error was the only way to find out.

After a little trek through the woods, which the pups thoroughly enjoyed, we made our way back towards home. My furry companions were slower on the return and would probably crash out when we got back, which would give me the chance to go over my notes ready for teaching next week. I was really excited about starting at the school and putting my education (and telepathy) to good use.

When we got back to the house, we went through the garage and so I could wipe the mud off the pup's paws before they traipsed lazily through the house, aiming for their doggy bed. I kicked my sneakers off and headed into the kitchen for a well-earned cool drink and then settled myself on the couch to go through my school notes.

* * *

(Faeries POV)

_Claude...Claude! Wake up you lazy hound!_

_Urgh! I hate being in this form - one minute I'm in energizer bunny mode, the next sloth._

_I know what you mean and I think it's time to let Sookie know who we are. She's in more danger than we suspected._

_How do you think she's going to react? Have you gleaned anything from her mind?_

_I actually think she's going to accept it better than we imagined. She knows what she is, wants to learn about us and her potential._

_Well, that should make things easier. What about the vampire?_

_I'm not really sure. He's harmed her, but I saw what happened in her memories and to be fair, he seems resourceful. We certainly saw that at the hospital and with the note he left her. Gorgeousness and beautiful handwriting aside, I think he'll actually be a good protector for her when we can't be about._

_He is rather luscious isn't he? Shame he'd devour me before I had the chance to devour his..._

_Urgh Claude! Do you have to be so graphic in your thoughts? _

_Just appreciating a fine man, don't be such a drama queen._

_Huh! That's rich coming from you!_

_Enough! I think that we should encourage the friend with her idea of going to our club; we can approach her then. She'll sense our likeness the moment she sees us. We just have to make sure we keep Preston away from her. He'll eat her alive and not in the same sense of the vampire. _

_That snake will charm the panties off her if he gets the chance and we all know where that will lead. He's got more kids than the Jolie-Pitt's!_  
_Well, we'll just have to make sure that she sees us first and so he can't draw her in with his spark._

_Or something else..._

_For goodness sake Claude, you're sex-mad! Are we really related?_

_Claudine, my beloved sister...I've not had sex for the last two weeks because I've assumed the form of a puppy that has the sexual desire of a cuddly toy. I'm frustrated and seeing that gorgeous hunk of tall and blonde hanging around with a HUGE hard on for our cousin is making me have a one track mind. _

_OK, OK I get it. Let's just get through this week, the weekend isn't far away. We'll implant it into the witch's mind to take Sookie to CC's Friday to celebrate her first week on the job and drop the bomb there. Then she can choose if she wants us to hang around to protect her or not, once she knows the dangers._

_(Yawn). Right, GNO Friday...drop the bomb. Shut up now so I can sleep, that bloody walk has exhausted my little furry legs._

_(Laughs). Very well brother, I'm glad we got that settled. Sweet dreams._

* * *

**I don't know whether it was much of a surprise that the fluff balls turned out to be Sookie's fairy cousins, but it made sense for her to have some contact with her family, they manipulated the whole thing from the advert on. I also changed the name of their club to 'CC's' rather than Hooligans. Hope you enjoyed it, please let me know.**

**Disclaimer, I own no rights to the SVM or TB. and the folks at HBO do. **


	13. Chapter 13

**DARK vs. LIGHT : DAY vs. NIGHT**

**Chapter 13**

* * *

A/N: This chapter is a little on the short side I'm afraid, but I was keen to get something out as you've all been so kind with your continued reviews and alerts. Now that the holidays are over, I can actually have some peace and get my writing mojo back!

Next chapter Sookie will be thrown in at the deep end with her new job and Eric will pay a visit to Ole Creepy. She may even throw her fantasy man a lifeline.

**Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

**Eric**

Watching Sookie from a distance I witnessed her interaction with disgruntled amusement. I had never felt jealousy towards another creature, let alone a pair of juvenile canines.

The attention she lavished on them as they slobbered all over her, jumping up at her and yapping, was not the kind of behaviour I would have tolerated with my own dogs when I was human. Dogs were for hunting and acted as an effective alarm system should your settlement be come across for whatever reason, by friend or foe.

Although I might have been in disagreement at how she allowed her dogs the indulgence of such behaviour, it was pleasing to see her smiling and laughing after her recent trauma. I was keen for her to see what I had left for her in her mailbox and witness that reaction even more. When she finally did check her mail, her reaction was more than I could have anticipated. Outwardly she admired my portrait of her, but inside the blood connection I could sense a swirl of positive feelings that gave me hope that she wasn't as reluctant as before.

Whether her admiration was for my offer, or in appreciation of my artistry, I couldn't say until she shocked me by speaking right at me in my hiding place in the trees. How had she known I was here? I knew very well that human night vision was poor and that she couldn't have heard me moving covertly as not only was I stealthy, but it was just too far away for her to hear. This conundrum was another to add to my list of questions about her. I wasn't sure if it was a fae trait that she be able to sense me; it was just not possible for her to know otherwise.

I stayed in the trees for some time, watching her go about her life. It was strange that her dogs seem to know my proximity too, but could reconcile that their senses were more heightened due to their nature. They only reacted aggressively when I approached too close to the property; otherwise they regarded my presence with far more intelligence than possible. It was only later when I was forced to cut short witnessing the most sexy scene I had seen years, that I was close enough to the creatures to ascertain that they were more than canine. There was something magical about them that made the mystery surrounding this woman that had got so under my skin, so much deeper. I was determined to find out more but knew I had to tread lightly.

When a human consumed vampire blood in the form of 'V', hallucinations often followed and could be either amazing or downright horrifying. When consumed from the source, so to speak, the reaction was a minefield of supernatural anomalies. Not only would vampire blood heal but it made a connection between the giver and receiver that allowed emotions to be interpreted and often manipulated. In Sookie's case, I knew she dreamt about me because I influenced her dreams and if it was the only was I could get close to her without actually having her, then I would have to settle for that. I was a devious fucker and wouldn't apologise for the fact, but I wouldn't resort to force and never had, but having Sookie resist me, for what I understood to be a perfectly reasonable reaction after what I did, still sparked the need to rise to the challenge.

I was a master in seduction and a superior lover; _how could I not be?_ A thousand years in existence gave one _plenty_of time to master such talents; talents which I had already began to possess as a human. My bedroom abilities were the stuff of legend but I had to admit that it had been some time since I had use romance to lure in a lover. In times when women expected to be courted and the formalities of courtship were strictly observed; I had to conform to some extent or be deprived of prime feeding partners when glamour would have been too suspicious.

As I watched Sookie sleep, I slipped into the blood bond and slithered into her dreams. With a growing throb in my pants, I was blown away by the pure, unadulterated passion of making love to this beautiful woman. As much as I was influencing the content, she seemed to be controlling with intensity which was something that no human could do and only reinforced my theory that she was a fairy. Standing on her balcony, watching her pleasure herself as she writhed on her sheets turned me on immensely and I despised the fact that I couldn't enter her home to give her the reality of her dream in person. The aroma of her arousal was driving me crazy and my fangs ran down. As her breathing grew rapid and the sound of her heart pounded like a drum, her climax approached and I couldn't help the groan of lust that inevitably woke her little guard dogs.

Their heads shot up from their place at the end of her bed and they were at the glass in a flash, barking and jumping up me in warning. I knew that this would wake Sookie so shot up into the sky and dived back around into the cover of the trees once again.

If I thought she was beautiful before then seeing Sookie lit by the weak moonlight, flushed from orgasm and naked as the day she was born, then now I could only describe her as a goddess. Her hair was wild around her face and her chest was flushed and gleaming from her exertions; I wanted to devour her and not just for her blood. Her arousal smelt intoxicating and ignited a primal lust in me that just screamed for me to mate with her. Seeing her naked and in the throes of passion was more than I could bear and so I fled to my own house to lock myself in my day chamber before I did something [else] I would regret. If Pam knew that I was being such a stalker, she'd never let me hear the end of it.

On leaving her property this time, I noticed the faint smell of another vampire a little way into the woods. No other knew of the existence of my resting place than Pam and Amelia, so unless my location had been breached, then there was only one other person that would be loitering around the perimeter of Sookie and my property. His scent was unmistakable. Having had to endure his stench when he formally attended an introduction to the area several weeks ago, both Pam and I took an instant dislike to Bill Compton. I had sensed something devious and downright creepy about him that rivalled that of the queen's child Andre, they both reeked of evil. Wondering what the hell he was doing all the way out here and spying on my future lover's home incensed me.

It seemed too much of a coincidence that he was lurking around Sookie who was originally from the same town that he resided in. 'Creepy Compton' as Pam dubbed him, would find himself on the receiving end of my own surveillance in the very near future.

* * *

**Sookie**

After being at home and finally getting to settle in without any hiccups, I was eager to leave that comfort for my first day at my new job. It was hard to say goodbye to 'the kids' as Amelia nicknamed them, but I knew they'd be fine. They had been so good settling in and had been no trouble at all, apart from some barking at shadows.

I hadn't driven in days and it felt strange to be back behind the wheel. I scanned my body as I waited at a stop light; it was completely healed and no evidence, but the strange hum of energy that I felt in my blood, of my injuries was obvious. That would be the vampire blood I supposed.

I had my suspicions whilst I was recuperating, that the school attached to the very same hospital that I was treated in, was actually a school for supernatural kids. It seemed unlikely that it would be anything but, especially with Dr Ludwig heading up the special needs department where I was going to be teaching. She was definitely something 'other', like the minds that I heard whilst in the hospital, if the whole mix of weird and wonderful thoughts and emotions were anything to go by.

Thinking of strange thoughts and emotions brought me back to the vampire blood. My body might be healed but my head was a mess. I'd been dreaming of a certain vampire non-stop, night and day and it was driving me crazy. That's why I was so desperate to get to work; it would take my mind in a different direction that fantasizing about one beautiful, blonde vampire.

My fantasies had been the most vivid and erotic I had _ever _had; I'd never come so hard from pleasuring myself and couldn't push away the thoughts of what sex with Eric would really be like. Amelia had some sort of sneaky sex radar as she caught me in full-on sexy daydream and wouldn't let the subject drop. In her witchy wisdom she was convinced that amazing sexy dreams about Eric were a sign and that if I didn't subconsciously _want_ him, I would be having scary dreams instead. She threatened that if I hadn't fucked him (she's _so_ eloquent) within the next few days, she was taking me to the strip club she talked about before, 'CC's' and wouldn't hesitate to tell every dancer that I was single and begging for it. The way I saw it, I was in a no-win situation. Amelia was a _very _persuasive woman; she could sell sand to Arabs and I knew I didn't stand a chance. Make a move on Eric, or become prey to some oiled up hunk in a thong?

I couldn't deny that Eric was incredibly hot and just oozed sexual charisma; I _did _want him. The fact that I was a virgin and he was a dangerous blood-sucking sex god was a double-edged sword. I'd read enough erotic fiction and romance novels to realise that life was definitely imitating art right now. The two of us were the epitome of those characters. But taking that step towards initiating something with Eric was nerve-wracking.

Realising that I'd coasted along on automatic pilot the whole way to the hospital, I cringed at my recklessness. I needed to focus and get that man out of my head or I was going to die an early death from a car accident or walking down an open manhole cover. I blinked away the image of Eric in a fire-fighters uniform, topless of course, dragging me from my wrecked car and tried to pull myself together enough to get through a day without thinking about him. I slammed my car door in frustration, pinged the lock and strode with purpose into the school.

The modern building was fairy new annexe to the main hospital, designed to stimulate and inspire students with its bright decor and tactile art. Therapeutic art was scattered around a beautiful sunny courtyard that was enclosed by a quadrant of buildings, each specialising in a particular area of education. The department that I was teaching in had links with the Psychotherapy clinic of the hospital, whilst the others had links to Physio and Paediatrics departments.

A path to the reception dissected the courtyard and I was surprised to see Dr Ludwig sat on one of the large section of a tree that was formed into a bench. She had her eyes closed and her face turned up to the sun; a pose I'd often adopted in order to re-energise myself. I wasn't sure whether to interrupt her solitude or carry on to reception, but as soon as I got near she spoke up.

"It's a wonderful feeling isn't it? The sun, its power to rejuvenate."

I smiled at her comment and how closely it resembled my own thoughts just now as I remembered a quote from Napoleon I had read in a book of classic European literature.

"I_f I had to choose a religion, the sun as the universal giver of life would be my god._"

"Napoleon Bonaparte. An arrogant asshole, but he sure had a way with words." I laughed out loud. So it seems, did Dr Ludwig...I liked her straightforwardness; I'd gotten used to it with Amelia.

"I'm glad I had the chance to see you this morning, before my induction. I had something I wanted to ask you." I'd been thinking about my fairy side and whether the doctor would be able to shed any light on the subject for me.

"You want to know about fairies?" My mouth hung open in shock. _Wait a minute_, _was she telepathic too?_

"Yep, but only with my own kind. What do you want to know?" She said jovially, like she just hadn't answered my unspoken question.

"Er..._your own kind? _You know about fairies?" I looked around furtively, worried that somebody might overhear us.

"Don't worry girlie, nobody can hear us. To answer your question; I am a goblin who are closely related in blood to the fae, so yes I know about fairies. I take it you don't?"

I could have jumped for joy at knowing that there was somebody I could actually ask about my ancestry. "I recently found out that my grandfather was Fintan Brigant and I've been wondering for some time what that means for me, I have nobody to ask."

"Ah, _royalty_. I knew there was something more to you that being part fairy and a telepath. You know that you have living relatives yes?" Hang on, she knew about my telepathy and didn't say anything? And living relatives...where?

"It's one of the reasons I hired you, apart from the fact that you're telepath and will have a direct link to what's going on with our students and patients, you're a giver...full of light. Perfect for this school." I flushed with her praise.

"You have two cousins in this realm, I imagine they will reveal themselves to you when the time is right...they must have their reasons for staying concealed. Vampires probably."

Cousins, here! I hope they're willing to share what it means to be a fairy...maybe teach me to defend myself...from vampires. _How ironic_. If only there was something I could learn to tame my libido..._must not think about Mr Tall Blonde and Sexy._

I was pulled out of my musing by a throaty chuckle, the diminutive doctor was laughing at me. Oh hell! She'd heard me thinking about Eric. Goddamn vampire blood!

"It's not just the blood you know; there's not many that wouldn't want a piece of that hunk. I know you got off to a bad start, to say the least, but I'd say the Viking holds a seriously big torch for you."

"You don't say..." She was as bad as Amelia; if I didn't know better, I'd say that the two of them were conspiring against me. All I would need now was Amelia's beau Pam to add her two cents and I'd gladly throw myself at his feet just to stop them going on about him.

"Fair enough, come on let's go inside - I warn you though, take your time and I may just beat you to him! If I was two feet taller..." She sighed and then winked at me before we both burst out laughing.

I knew I was going to enjoy this job and I hadn't even made it inside yet.

* * *

**Disclaimer, I own no rights to the SVM or TB. and the folks at HBO do.**


	14. Chapter 14

**DARK vs. LIGHT : DAY vs. NIGHT**

**Chapter 14**

A/N: Thank you for your continued reviews and alerts. Sorry for the delay with this new chapter, I've been struggling for inspiration lately and trying to work on WBOTBH for a few chapters. It's harder than I thought to have 2 stories going at the same time! Apologies for any errors.

I'm going to upload this and my other story onto Wordpress so I can add some images - when I get round to it. See my profile for the link.

**Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

**Eric**

Pam and I were speeding along the highway towards Bon Temps, the usual silence permeated by her new fondness for humming along to the radio. I sensed amusement from her and sighed, knowing full well that I was no doubt the subject of her mirth.

I was far too lenient with my child. Her ability to wind me up and back off before I blew my top was impressive and as much as I hated that she could do this to me; it was I who taught her how to do it. Antagonise and all will be revealed. Some interrogators used the silent treatment to admit their crimes; Pam and I like to goad our victims into revealing their secrets. And so here we were and my thousand years of patience was wearing thin.

"WHAT?" I bellowed through gritted teeth at my infuriating child.

Pam turned to me and smiled sweetly, feigning innocence in a way that would have won her an Oscar.

"_What_? Oh, you must mean what am I humming, right?"

Casting a glare to indicate my need for her to _get to the fucking point_, she continued.

"It's just a little tune I made up...it's quite _sweet_really. You see, I had a little chat with Amelia earlier and it was quite enlightening." With her usual eyebrow raise, which meant that whatever her and her witch lover had talked about was probably something I wanted to know and that she'd take her damn time over telling me.

I will not beg for gossip, but...if it's about Sookie then..._fucking Pam! _She knew something about Sookie and was just revelling in the moment when I wouldn't be able to hold it in any more.

She continued humming for a while before adding some words and then it became clear. I cringed at the words.

_"Eric Northman sitting in a tree __**p.e.e.p.i.n.g**__ - first comes love, then blood sucking all finished off with some damn hot fucking..." _

Gripping the steering wheel as tightly as I could without breaking it, I sighed deeply. With a growl I let her know how displeased I was at her teasing.

"Oh come off it Eric! You have to admit, the lyrics are inspired...you can't deny that they're not the truth, right?" Pam had turned in her seat, hoping that like girlfriends I'd spill my most embarrassing secret. I stared at the road ahead and ignored her.

"OK then, I'll tell you how it is. I was at Amelia's for..._dinner_and just happened to notice a rather large tom cat in a tree near your house. It was spying on a delicious blonde who lives next door to you..." I growled possessively at her description of Sookie.

"Amelia was rather amused at the thought of you resorting to observing her friend from a tree, when it's obvious to her that said friend has the big time hots for you. _Apparently_, she's given said friend an ultimatum...to get her lush ass over to your place by Friday night, or when they go to CC's that night, she's going to cast a rather sexy spell to get her laid by whatever lithe, thong-wearing hunk falls for it."

"Sookie is _MINE! _No other shall have her..." Fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck Pam was good.

Pam bounced in her seat with her clapping together at vamp speed like some overexcited teen.

"I knew it! You like her..._more than like her_. I've never known you feel this way before, but I have to say what she does stir up in you is having a great effect for Amelia and I, why last night we had..."

"PAM! I do not wish to know the details of your sex life with the witch. I..._admit_that I have developed an attraction to Sookie. I've been keeping an eye on her after what happened at the club and now that the weasel Compton has been caught sniffing around her, I admit that I...feel somewhat protective of her."

"So, in a nutshell - she gives you the horn, you want her to blow it and beware any who get in the way of that happening." I wanted to wipe the smirk on my child's face but, annoyingly she was right and she knew it.

"Pam, what can I say make you shut up? Do I have to command you?" I hissed at her, but there wasn't the venom in it that I would have shown if I was truly pissed at her.

"Admit that you're smitten and I'll not say another word about it..._tonight_." Rolling my eyes I gave my child a serious look. Her jokey facade faded as she knew she was going to hear the truth, no playing, and no innuendo.

"Fine! It's more than smitten Pam...I feel _the pull_towards her. I fucked up when we first met and I'm frantic to find a way to make it up to her. I can't stop thinking about her and every waking moment I want to be with her. The thought of Compton or some fake-tanned pretty boy getting their claws into her makes my blood boil."

"Well I'll be damned! There'll be hearts breaking _wide _open all over the world tonight...Eric Northman, renowned Viking Lothario is in love! I knew I could get it out of you..."

I had to smile at her use of the _Top Gun_ quote as I allowed her to gloat. We loved watching that movie together. Both of us for the female lead, but Pam also took enjoyment out of comparing my cocky personality to that of Maverick. During the time the movie came out, she persuaded me to get my hair cut like Ice Man, saying that the nickname and 'do' suited me. I thought I looked like a tjockskalle (dickhead), but there was no stopping her enthusiasm for blending in. The 80's, _1980's - _was her favourite decade so far.

"Yes, yes, well done Pam - your interrogation techniques are worthy of the Inquisition or maybe _Jerry Springer_would hire you to wheedle out adulterers for him."

Only with hindsight did I realise that not only did I covet Sookie Stackhouse, but that I admitted without argument that I was in love with her. Of course, Pam would be able to feel it but, not having experienced love for herself _yet_, she might not recognise the foreign emotion. Now that I had admitted it to her, it was at the forefront of my thoughts. The previous information that Sookie was feeling attraction towards me, made me pleased.

"Did Amelia care to elaborate on what Sookie might have said about me?" I felt like a teenage boy, resorting to asking his sister whether her friend liked me or not.

I could feel that Pam was exhilarated at the turn of the conversation, a feeling that I couldn't really blame her for. There was little excitement in a vampire's life after being around so long. The opportunity to gossip for Pam was what getting into a good fight was for me. Indulging Pam this glimpse into my softer side was reward enough for her, more than a pair of new designer shoes could ever do.

Conspiratorially, almost in a whisper she repeated what she'd told me earlier about Amelia's ultimatum, along with some more information about what Sookie liked and how she'd responded to my flowers and note. Even though I'd seen her reaction for myself, hearing it from another was equally as gratifying.

"You know Eric, I never thought you had a shred of romance in you until I heard what you left for Sookie. I have to admit, that even I swooned. Apparently Sookie practically melted on the spot _and _she's been having some pretty _hot _  
dreams about a certain tall, blonde vampire. She confided in Amelia that she's going to thank you herself for the gifts, she's still wary of you after you tried to eat her, but Amelia swears that Sookie wouldn't mind if you wanted to eat her somewhere else.."

"Pam, I can't believe I'm saying this, but you are so crude sometimes...is that what girls talk about when they get together?" Perhaps I should eavesdrop on some of these conversations, they sounded much more entertaining than listening to the vermin at Fangtasia.

"Wouldn't you like to know! We talk about fashion of course, maybe some TV talk, but generally women like to get together to talk about each other, sex or lack of it and badmouth men...which of course is our favourite conversation topic. There's a lot to work with on that topic..."

Pam was particularly verbal on the topic of what deplorable creatures' men were, with the exception of her maker, of course. Having been forced into an arranged marriage in an era when women were nothing more than brood mares and status enhancers for higher classes, her resentment of the male species was formed from her early teenage years. It wasn't any surprise when Pam found that she preferred the fairer sex even after a couple of decades in Eric's bed. The need to be together sexually when he first created Pam was an instinctual need, not one based on sexual attraction and he was happy to let Pam follow her needs where-ever she chose. He had more than his fair share of bed companions, so was never lacking in that department.

Storing away the information I gleaned about Sookie, I planned to make myself as irresistible as possible. It seemed that with Sookie, being my usual irresistible self was not enough and she was the only female that seemed to have any self-restraint. Reluctantly, having Pam give me advice on how to coax Sookie might not be a bad thing, especially in light of the upcoming Friday night that she was supposed to be going to CC's.

It was an upscale strip club that catered to women and men, but Fridays were reserved for ladies and he'd heard that the dancers there were notorious for bedding their favourite tippers of the night. I could only hope that Sookie would gather up enough nerve to see him before that night, otherwise he might find himself following her to the club...just to make sure nothing happened.

"Getting to the point of why we're heading out into the swamps..._Compton_. What have you found out?"

Pam was particularly adept as sniffing out information about people, even those that were notoriously private. She had a knack for getting people to reveal information about them that they'd much rather not share. With humans she could use glamour, but with other vampires it was not possible of course. Pam, being Pam, was not above using sex to get her information...as often her conquests were loose lipped after being satiated.

It seems this time, Pam had gone above and beyond. Bedding a former nestmate of Compton's who was far below the quality that she expected in a lover, even for a fangbanger. Diane was part of a lowly trio that roamed from state to state, staying until they had worn out their welcome and were forced to move on. Days after Compton appeared in the state; Diane, Malcolm and Liam turned up claiming to be guests of his and were only allowed to stay with a warning about good behaviour.

"Well, it seems Diane overheard Compton talking to the queen one evening after they were interrupted fucking. It was all very secretive but she's pretty sure that the queen sent him to procure somebody for her. The call ended with the queen shouting down the phone, easily enough for the whole house to hear. She reprimanded him for not getting 'her telepath' quickly enough, even after he said she'd moved from her house next door to him. If that's not cut and dried enough proof he's up to no good, then I'm not quite sure what else you could need, apart from a recorded confession."

Pride and satisfaction, tinged with fury flowed from me to my child; she had done well and I let her know that. I was, of course, furious that my queen had cause to circumvent me and use one of her lowliest, despicable retinue to come after Sookie. I was in no doubt that 'the telepath' was Sookie; the coincidence in the location of their homes, his scent around her new property and the suspicious circumstances revolving around the shooting at Fangtasia were too much, not to be her.

This was why she was doubly afraid of him, wasn't it? It stood to reason that if it was known she was a telepath, her life would be in danger. From those that sought to exploit her 'gift' and vampires who feared her listening in on them. If she could hear vampires...she'd giving no indication that she could hear him or Pam before. I'd certainly thought enough lewd thoughts about her to make anyone uncomfortable, but I had only thought her demure rather than offended at the images of us I had in my mind at the time. No, I didn't believe she could read my mind, she would have heard what I was thinking when I was near her house. I realised that her telepathy was why she had sensed me. That was certainly a useful tool.

The devious part of me that would have not hesitated to manipulate and secure her gift to my own advantage was dormant when it came to Sookie. First and foremost I wanted to protect her. From Compton, from the queen...from any supe that would consider her a valuable asset. It made me furious that my queen was putting our state in danger by illegally procuring humans for her own pleasure. How she knew about Sookie was a mystery, but one I know the answer to before the night was done. Compton would squeal like a fucking pig before I was done with him. Sookie was _mine._

"Fucking Sophie-Anne!" When will she ever learn? No only does she have worse skill with money than Nick Leeson*, but the unscrupulous methods she would go to in order to fulfil her penchant for unusual pets was beyond even me.

"It seems Compton is the monkey sent to steal away a telepath that lives near him. A telepath would certainly be a boon for her retinue; she'd make a fortune from whatever information she could glean, not to mention how much other monarchs would covet her..."

"Sookie will _not _be going to the queen, _I _will make sure of it!".

Pam didn't need to say anymore. It was perfectly obvious to both of us that I would do anything to protect Sookie and by default, so would Pam. I fully intended to make Sookie mine, but I was going to have to step up my gentle wooing. Although I needed to take things gently with her, the need to keep her protected overruled any romantic notions I might have had about courting her. Perhaps if she knew of the danger she was in she would be more accepting of my assistance.

It wasn't my desire to frighten her (although I'd already accomplished that by showing her my true nature), but if she knew that other vampires would not hesitate to show _their _true natures, it would surely make her consider her own safety more carefully.

* * *

As we pulled up to Compton's 'mansion' Pam wrinkled her nose in distaste. There were no lights on inside the house; not that they were needed, but it was obvious that nobody was home. I had a very sensitive nose and could not detect the scent of a vampire present currently.

Lucky for us that we didn't need an invitation and although the door was locked, it was no impediment to a vampire, so with a firm twist, the lock gave way and the door creaked open. Not only was his security lacking, but his taste in decor was definitely sub-standard. It was obvious that he had no intention of remaining in the house as he took no pride in his space whatsoever. The lacklustre decor and threadbare furniture just complemented the whole 'haunted house' theme he'd got going on.

"It's like a set from the Addams Family movie. I'm waiting for a hand to go scuttling across the floor offering a Tru Blood." I smirked at Pam's comment. She was right, it was just too macabre to be true.

As the owner wasn't home, we scoured every inch of the house looking for evidence of Compton's involvement in the scheme to abduct Sookie and hit pay-dirt in a secret under-stairs compartment.

What initially looked like a cupboard to store whatever people kept under the stairs; shoes, vacuum cleaners, tools etc, held a hidden panelled door that led to a small room. We hadn't noticed when we'd moved from room to room that the space was smaller that the outside wall looked and when Pam went out to check, she confirmed that there was a false wall built into the adjoining room. Stooping to move through the secret door, I moved into the dank space and was surprised to see a sick shrine to my future lover covering every inch of the walls. I felt Pam come to stand behind me and she blew out an unnecessary breath.

"Stalk much Bill?" Her eyes followed mine over the images of Sookie taken at all times of the day; confirming my suspicion that he had extra daytime surveillance on her. There were pictures of her at work, going to her car, going in and out her house and some taken at a distance through her windows.

I hadn't realised that I was growling until it got louder at seeing a picture of my Sookie asleep in bed next to one of her emerging from the bathroom with nothing but a towel rubbing her wet hair. As much as the picture was gloriously showing my Sookie as I'd imagined seeing her, I noted that it was well thumbed and as I plucked it down from the wall, Pam said it all.

"Fucking sick bastard..." I couldn't have agreed more.

Against the wall was an antique looking desk that looked like it had survived Compton's Civil War days. On the top of the desk there were a few mementos and an old ink well and fountain pen, but it was the contents of the first drawer that surprised me the most.

Inside was a thick manila folder containing a few old family photographs of Sookie's, probably taken from her house during the daytime before she moved to Shreveport, along with several aged vellum sheets. Upon folding out the paper, it revealed a family tree that detailed the Stackhouse and Hale families for the last couple of hundred years. It looked to be fairly normal, apart from the revelation that Sookie had a brother and a cousin of a similar age that were crossed out. Tracing the lines further back to her grandparents was where the mystery jumped out at me. Next to Adele Hale-Stackhouse, listed as the father of Corbett and Linda Stackhouse, was one Fintan Brigant.

"Fuck me!" Pam took the words right out of my mouth. I hadn't said anything since we were on the road; the whole situation made my mouth fill with distaste and it stole my words.

"Prince Fintan Brigant of the Sky Fae." I finally spoke.

"Is Sookie's granddaddy...well butter my butt and call me a biscuit!"

Shaking my head at another of Pam's terrible southern sayings, I closed the file and put it back where I found it. I was keeping the photo of Sookie naked though, I didn't care if it was just as stalkerish, at least my intention was to seduce and not to abduct.

We withdrew from the room and closed the door. Pam was about to speak but I put up my hand to silence her. A few seconds passed before Compton came speeding through the door, letting in back loudly against the wall from the force of his entry.

"Sheriff Northman, I don't believe I was expecting you." He should have had the sense to be more respectful to his superior in both age and rank, but no, Creepy Compton considered himself above the law, seeing as he was the queen's lackey.

Instead of answering, I flew towards him and grabbed his throat, the force of my attack sent Compton flying through the open door. I pinned him to his ramshackle porch and tightened my grip. He didn't need to breathe, but the bones in his neck certainly protested as they creaked to near breaking point.

"Didn't your maker or your queen teach you any respect _Bill_? I have every right to enter the home of any vampire in _my _area and you are one of those. You have a very poor image for a vampire that claims to be mainstreaming, but we all know that's just a front, don't we _Bill_?"

"I have no idea what you mean. I haven't got around to organising renovations just yet..." He snivelled.

"Been too busy spying on Sookie Stackhouse have we? Anything you'd like to tell me about your little _assignment_?" I tightened my hold and he squirmed and squealed like a piglet.

"My _assignment _as you call it is between the queen and me. You were not to be involved. Her majesty thought there was no need to trouble you with what she requires of Miss Stackhouse." His pompous attitude made me sneer.

He thought that just because the queen sent him to illegally procure a human, who it turns out is actually part fairy telepath, that I would congratulate him on his mission and thank him for not bothering me with the task. He was wrong.

"Well, that's where you're wrong. Miss Stackhouse is mine and therefore, very much my business. You will stay away from her - don't think I don't know about you creeping round her house in Shreveport, I could smell your stench a mile off. If you'd actually got close enough to her, you'd realise that she'd taken my blood and was therefore, _off limits._" The venom in my voice increased and I raised him from the porch, still in my grip but now dangling a foot off the ground.

I dropped him unceremoniously on his ass and he scrambled to right himself with some shred of dignity that he may have left. He rubbed his throat where the imprint of my palm remained for a several seconds before it healed. He glanced behind me at Pam, who was leaning against the door-frame in a bored fashion.

"That is..._unfortunate_. Of course, you know that the queen will overrule any claim you have on Miss Stackhouse. She claimed her for her own before you met her. She will not take kindly to your _interference_."

I was quickly losing my patience again for this cretin. Fuck the queen! She would not tell me, Eric Northman, Viking vampire four hundred years her senior, to relinquish my claim on Sookie. She was mine!

"I agree that is unfortunate..._for you and the queen_. I have no intention of giving up my claim to Miss Stackhouse and you may relay that to the queen." I was playing with fire, but I could handle Sophie-Anne.

The delinquent queen was used to getting her way, but she knew not to toy with me. I could take the throne at the drop of a hat should I choose to. I despised the thought, but if necessity bade it, then so be it. She knew full well that she would not be able to overcome me; I was twice as strong and ten times the strategist that she was with allies in many places that would assist me upon a word.

"Is that all?" Compton brushed himself off and went to return to his house.

"For now. But if I find your scent within a mile of Sookie Stackhouse I'll let Pam castrate you and send your balls to the queen as a reminder of what happens to those that mess with what is mine. Do you understand?" I glowered menacingly at him and he looked a Pam momentarily as they passed each other at the doorway.

"You might want to get a Brozilian** Bill, dried blood is a hell to get out of your pubes." She raised one brow at him and snickered mischievously and she stalked towards me, avoiding the holes in the porch boards in her five inch heels.

I gave Compton a smug smile as he turned his nose up at Pam's suggestion; he was such a relic! He slammed his door behind him and we got back into the car and took off back to Shreveport.

"Will you really happily incur Sophie-Anne's wrath for her Eric? You know how the bitch queen can be...is she worth it?" Pam asked, concern lacing her voice.

I thought for a moment as I imagined the phone call I would get when Compton told her what I'd said. I wasn't worried about crossing the queen. If she knew what was good for her she'd leave the situation be; if she wanted a fight, then I was more than happy to engage in one. Was Sookie worth the trouble?

"Absolutely Pam. Sookie is _priceless_."

* * *

* Nicholas "Nick" Leeson is a former derivatives broker whose fraudulent, unauthorized speculative trading caused the collapse of Barings Bank, the United Kingdom's oldest investment bank, for which he was sent to prison. (Wikipedia)

** Brozilian Wax: A male who gets a waxing of his nether regions. Coined by Adam Carolla on his morning show. (Urban Dictionary)

**Disclaimer, I own no rights to the SVM or TB. and the folks at HBO do. **


	15. Chapter 15

**DARK vs. LIGHT : DAY vs. NIGHT**

**Chapter 15**

A/N: As always, thank you so much for your reviews, they are really appreciated. I'm glad you enjoy playful Pam. Eric is going to get his chance to turn on the charm in person and Sookie, bless her little fairy socks, is going to be hard pressed to resist!

* * *

**Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

**Sookie**

My day with Magda was certainly interesting.

When we'd entered the building, it was as if I'd stepped from one world into another. All around me I noticed that there was some kind of weird vibe going on that made my skin tingle, not uncomfortably so, but with a sensation akin to being around magic_._I had felt it around Amelia and within Fangtasia before everything went to hell.

I shivered involuntarily at the memory, an action that didn't go unnoticed by Magda and I had a feeling that would be the case with her from now on. Nothing slipped past her and I found myself grateful for that. She wasn't shy about telling me the truth; with her black was black and white was white…with no grey area. Her honesty and insight were a refreshing change to all the deceit and pretenses that humans put up to hide their dirty secrets or insecurities. Being thrust into the supernatural world would require somebody like her to tell me how it was. There was a feeling I got from her that made me trust her and perhaps that was the kinship we shared, or just the fact that she barely knew me but was happy to share straight away.

Having both her and Amelia to guide me through what I was sure to be a supernatural information minefield was reassuring. For the first time in a while, I felt the warmth that only gran had been able to give me - the feeling that there were others around who cared about me – _genuinely_.

Magda brought me out of my thoughts, by casually answering my unspoken curiosity. "The whole hospital is magically warded to make it appear 'normal', should human bureaucrats come by. _Damn pencil pushers_…"

"Oh…" I glanced at the security guard. He had an inner voice that was hard to latch on to with any coherency – a bit like Sam had been back in Merlotte's.

_"He's a 'were', they often work in the security profession, particularly for vampires who want daytime guards."_

My eyebrows shot up as I mulled over her words to me. I kept my surprise to myself, not wanting to show my ignorance in a lobby full of people.

_"By 'were', do you mean werewolf, like...UnderWorld or The Howling - werewolf?" _I was reeling inside at the thought of there being vampires and werewolves like in Underworld. Quinn (it made me bristle to say his name), had a penchant for scary movies and for making me sit through them with him. I'd never realized at the time, but I think he got off on how frightened I was watching them. If he knew what I was and who I was involved with now…

Magda chuckled a little and smiled at me indulgently. _"I'd say they're more close to the more recent movie. They actually shift into an animal rather than a grotesque mutation of the two species. I take it that Quinn never talked to you about any of this?"_

Her response threw me for a moment, what with her confirmation of what were's and vampires were like, but it was her comment about Quinn that puzzled me most. Quinn's mind had always been kind of blurry to me and now that I thought about it, I couldn't believe how naive I had been. How completely unquestioning I had been to this fact.

_"Quinn's a were too isn't he?"_She didn't need to confirm it to me, I knew it already. It answered a few questions I'd wondered about over the years. The late night job, the disappearances for periods of time every month, the controlling and sometimes aggressive moods.

_"Of sorts…let's talk about it later, time to move on before the guard thinks you're a patient - the look on your face is priceless."_

She was right; we were standing in the entrance of the lobby having a telepathic conversation about the existence of werewolves, like it was perfectly normal. The look the guard was giving us was one of curiosity bordering on alert, like I was about to burst into some sort of episode. There would be opportunities later to discuss Quinn and his lack of honesty about his true nature.

"Jacob this is Susannah Stackhouse, the new teaching therapist for the child and youth wards."

We had walked to the security station at the main desk where the imposing figure of the guard stood waiting for us. He had to be around six feet six and built like a quarterback. Dressed in a navy blue uniform he was armed and carried a small canister, some cuffs and a pair of leather gloves attached to a utility belt. His amber coloured eyes had an almost luminescent glow to them that hinted of the animal inside. I was fascinated rather than alarmed, like I had been before when I thought about the scary looking movie werewolves. He gave me a perfectly normal welcoming smile, which I returned before holding my hand out to him.

"Nice to meet you Jacob." His palm was warm, but not at all sweaty like I would have expected for someone who felt like they had a fever. When I touched his hand, I caught a flash of words that definitely didn't come from his mouth.

_"Wow she's gorgeous, smells sweet but with a hint of vamp though…shame." _I wondered what he meant by how I smelled? Did I smell different since having Eric's blood? I'd have to add that to the ever growing list of questions I had for later.

"Likewise Miss." His eyes roamed from my face briefly checking me out, which didn't surprise or offend me like it should have done as his thoughts had forewarned me.

"If you could come with me into the security office, I need to get your picture and fingerprint for your I.D." He motioned for me to follow him into an office that was just behind the main desk where the receptionist was on the phone. She glanced up from whatever she was concentrating on and gave me a smile. I could tell from her brain that she was maybe a were too and from her furrowed brow, she looked to be working out something about me. I wondered whether were's could sense that there was something 'other' to me, that I was indeed, another supernatural creature albeit part one.

Magda waited patiently whilst I stood in front of the blank wall and Jacob took my picture. He uploaded it onto the computer and took my thumbprint on a small scanner and before I knew it, it was printed directly onto a credit card sized piece of Perspex that hung from a lanyard that I could wear around my neck. I was advised to tuck it inside my clothes and so it couldn't be used by a patient to grab on to me. I nodded my compliance and thought about that for a split second before reassuring myself that I wouldn't get myself in that kind of position. I'd come up against aggressive behaviour with patients before when I'd done work experience, but luckily nothing too serious.

We chatted for several minutes about security procedures out front and then introduced to the receptionist who had finished her call. She was exotically beautiful with long dark hair and eyes that twinkled in the same way as Jacob's. She was very curious about me, but in a friendly way and she showed that in her greeting.

"You must be Susannah, I'm Luna. Dr Ludwig has spoken to me about you; you're going to be _teaching_my daughter." She shared a look with Magda and I couldn't help but notice a hopeful look in her eyes. I wondered what treatment her daughter was receiving but decided it could wait for a more private setting.

"I'm pleased to meet you too Luna. I'm eager to meet my students and I'll look forward to meeting your daughter." My smile was warm and genuine for this woman who obviously was holding back some kind of inner trauma.

She nodded and gave me a quick wave as the phone started ringing and she turned to answer it.

"Come, let's give you a tour and you can meet the students." She gestured with her hand towards a set of double glass doors that looked like they were forged with criss crosses of wire inside them and silver looking push plates.

_"Silver wire and push plates prevent any unauthorized entry or exit." _Magda answered silently.

_"Were's are affected by silver too, like vampires?" _Amelia had mentioned about silver affecting vampires when we first talked about them. Maybe she could ask Pam about it, _or _I could ask Eric about it? _Oh Lord, where did that come from?_! Why did I have to think him now? I needed to get that man out of my head and start thinking like the smart, professional that I was aspiring to be.

Amelia would probably tell me in that crude and direct fashion of hers, that I needed to fuck him already. The trouble was that tendrils of desire totally separate from the dreams were sneaking their way around my psyche, sparking my curiosity for the scary but gorgeous vampire. I wasn't sure that I was entirely happy with these feelings. I'd never understood why girls threw themselves at 'bad boys', men that would treat them poorly and disrespect them. But did Eric really deserve to be thrown in the 'bad boy' pot? Yes and no; he certainly was big and bad, violent and dangerous. But he also had an intensely romantic side, the side of him that seemed at odds with the intimidating vampire. This seemingly schizophrenic vampire was desperate to endear himself to me and I had to admit that I was intrigued.

Magda smirked and nodded as she reached up to push her thumb against a wall mounted scanning unit. Of course, she'd heard my question and all that followed. _That was going to be awkward_. The door made a whooshing sound like a vacuum had just been released. She pushed against the door and I then realized that was why the guard had gloves; to protect him against the silver when he needed to go through the door to the education centre and treatment rooms.

"You'll need to check in at the staff office before your shift, it's just through here. There's a locker for you to leave your personal items in your own office which is directly next to mine."

We walked down a generic looking hospital corridor of shiny linoleum floors and patient artworks on the walls before turning to another security paneled door marked 'Staff Office'. Once inside, I was welcomed by a meek young man who was introduced to me as Zak. He was the admin support for the teaching staff and although it wasn't mentioned, he was also a were.

He'd set me up with everything I would need in my office, including my schedule and everything I'd need to access the student database and my own files. We said our goodbyes and walked for a minute down the seemingly never ending corridor and approached another door marked 'Dr M Ludwig'. Underneath it marked with a newly inscribed plate ' – Head of Therapeutic Education. A flush of pride ran through me, followed by a little embarrassment. A pang of sadness washed over me, as I wished that gran was around to see this.

"You notice that we called your patients 'students' as, at their age it's a more acceptable term to use and makes the students feel more normal. They all have a hard time understanding why they're here and if we treat it more like a school, then we accomplish more. Therapeutic education if you like. It's why I chose you – you have your telepathy to understand their minds of course, but it was your innate empathy and open mind that makes you perfect for this job…you deserve your title Sookie."

"That's very kind of you to say so, thank you. I prefer 'student' to 'patient' myself. Mental illness is a state of mind, not a physical ailment and therefore I believe it can be educated…trained if you like, to respond and recover. Physical ailments need time, drugs and now that I'm aware of it, magic to aid them."

Magda smiled at me in that same proud way gran did when she found out that I was going to college and again when she learned of my chosen career. Having her praise went a long way and was a huge boost to my confidence.

"We're glad to have you here. I'm confident that you'll make a world of difference, particularly to some students that have been unreachable." She went through the same security motions as she spoke and pushed the door open into what looked like a communal waiting room for two offices that sat at opposing ends of a large glazed wall that looked out onto the courtyard that we'd met in earlier.

Motioning me towards the door that was my office, I moved to open the door and was welcomed into a large space that held a lightwood desk and director's chair, laptop and printer neatly tucked to one side. The carpet was a vibrant blue that reminded me of _somebody's _eyes and I pinched myself for thinking about _'him' _again at work when I should be concentrating on my office.

I heard Magda chuckle mischievously behind me as she watched me take in my new surroundings, knowing that she heard me. If I didn't know better, I'd say that she'd been talking to Amelia as she seemed just as keen on the idea of me and Eric as she was. I was getting used to the fact that she could hear my thoughts, so would have to take care not to embarrass myself in the future. The shared telepathy would be helpful in shared consultations though, when I needed to relay student thoughts that concerned me.

The rear of the office was bathed in light from the floor to ceiling window that overlooked the courtyard and in front of that was a comfy looking couch and daybed. The sun lit up the aqua coloured walls, giving the room a comfortable and warm setting. To the side was a large sideboard that contained a TV, surveillance monitor for the student areas, space for books and a selection of materials to aid consultations, such as art materials, dolls, blocks and suchlike. The age range of my students at the moment was from around six years old, all the way to mid teens, so it was imperative to have educational and play aids for all ages.

I turned to Magda with a pleased smile. The office far exceeded my expectations for my first 'proper' job and I just knew that I would be happy here; like Magda said _I just knew it._

"This is fantastic Magda, just wonderful!" She grinned and clapped her hands together.

"Good, I'm pleased you like it. I'm just next door if you ever need me or you can 'page' me if I'm not there." She tapped her temple to indicate that I could speak with her telepathically rather than the conventional way of paging her through a sound system.

"Ready to meet your students?" She raised a brow in query.

"Absolutely, let's go." I was keen to get on, I wanted to see what I needed to plan my 'lessons' on, even though I had a sneaking suspicion that the prep that I'd done at home would be slightly different to some of the situations I might find myself in here. A mix of standard educational topics blended with specific therapy was a challenge that I was really looking forward to.

Slipping my jacket off and stowing my bag in built-in closet in the corner next to the private bathroom, I followed Magda out and back into the corridor.

* * *

As we walked towards the education centre, Magda spent a few minutes explaining that they had several 'boarders' and a few outpatients/students. The boarders needed more closely monitored supervision than their families could provide, some of which were severely psychologically affected. The lesser affected students had some learning difficulties or personal concerns such as depression, victims of abuse including bullying and cases of a crisis of identity – particularly involving parents of mixed heritage, like were/shifter or human/were relationships. It seemed intolerance was alive and kicking in the supernatural world too.

On approaching the communal area where students were scattered around I noticed that some were completely separate to the main group and as we walked into their space the tension in the air grew thicker. It was something that I'd only just noticed, not having any previous experience with were's or shifters (like Luna - another type of were but not, Magda informed me. Apparently it was a controversial topic for another time). The internal voices of the group were fuzzy but not completely incomprehensible, but their emotions ran high and it was as if I was reading them empathically.

Magda quirked an interested brow at my observation. _"What __d__o you feel?"_

Taking a moment to look around at the students, most of them too disinterested to spare us a look, I observed the dynamics. A group of youngish males, around the 8 to 14 age group were like their own little pack, with a dominant leader and the polar opposite introvert oppressed, with levels of confidence in between. The apparent leader was not the eldest surprisingly, but he was cocky and a little too aggressive for my liking. The youngest seemed to hang on his every word and that gave me cause for concern. The eldest seemed withdrawn, both reluctant to join in or step out of the group, which to me, reeked of insecurity and possible bullying. The other group was a couple of girls on their own who appeared to be twins. They were very quiet and seemed to be communicating between themselves; something that I'd learnt was common between multiple siblings. I couldn't fathom what their deal was without more interaction, so swept my gaze from them to a small girl sitting by the window staring out to the garden.

Straight away I knew this was Luna's daughter, Emma. She was a miniature version of her mother with long dark hair and olive Mediterranean type colouring. She emitted such a sad and conflicted vibe that it was almost overwhelming to me and I sucked in a breath at feeling such emotions from her.

_"I'm feeling more than I'm hearing…it seems with were's and shifters I'm empathically more than telepathically connected. This is…new to me, but not unwelcome. There's quite a lot going on with these guys."_I thought it best to convey my thoughts rather than speak aloud, having been informed that most supernatural creatures, particularly vampires and were's had heightened hearing ability.

_"I agree. There's only so much we can get out of the students during our sessions and that's why your ability is going to be an invaluable. Some of the problems these kids have are perplexing. Particularly little Emma and the twins. It's more obvious what's going on with the boys, but let's talk later."_Magda ushered me over to the group as we spoke and introduced me.

"Students…" She waited until she had all their attention. The boys eyed me suspiciously, whilst the twins seemed inexplicably excited to see me. Emma turned her head from the window and met my eyes for a brief moment before turning her gaze back to whatever had her attention in the garden.

"I'd like to introduce you to Miss Stackhouse; she's a new teacher therapist here and will be seeing you all at some point this week." She halted her introduction, waiting for a response.

The 'pack' of boys either grunted or nodded their welcome, which was not entirely unexpected, albeit a little rude. The eldest and most quiet boy stared at me and gave me a weak smile, which was a start I supposed. I was a stranger after all and getting the students used to me and comfortable enough around me to open up would be the biggest hurdle. The twins hurried over to us and gazed up at me with an enchanting smile. They had to be around ten years old, both had beautiful long auburn hair and hazel eyes, their smiles were encouraging and I really wasn't expecting them to speak after the weak welcome from the boys, but I was surprised.

"Hello Miss." They spoke in stereo and the faint Irish lilt to their accent was pleasant. "We're Lily and Amber, pleased to meet you." They both held out their hands for me to shake.

Taking a hand of each of theirs, I placed them in mine and gently shook them. I wasn't expecting their thoughts to be bombarding my brain like they did, but it seemed touching amplified what seemed like gibberish running amok in their minds. I couldn't grasp what it meant, but the overall tone of their minds and their greeting was friendly and enthusiastic. With a big smile from me and Magda who seemed to be utterly amazed at their candour, I released their hands.

"The pleasure is mine girls. What lovely names you have." They beamed and giggled girlishly.

"What's your name Miss?" If they seemed withdrawn before, they couldn't have been further from it now and I was happy to indulge them.

_"Sookie, I have never seen or heard them this animated. They must feel comfortable around you…it is extraordinary, they've been keeping to themselves since they starting coming here four years ago!"_

_"I'm just as surprised as you. Before they seemed shy, but now I sense nothing but excitement…I can't explain it –yet."_

"Well girls, my 'proper' name is Susannah, but you can call me Sookie if you want to." If it was possible for them to beam any brighter, they did it.

"Sookie, that's pretty." They both answered again and it made me smile.

"Why thank you. I'll see you later, OK?" They both nodded and turned in perfect synchronicity back towards their previous perch. Magda smiled and nodded, her internal praise causing me to flush as she complimented me.

I looked towards Emma and indicated to Magda that I wanted to talk to her on my own. The girl was a tiny thing and the desperately sad emotions she emitted lashed at the delight I'd previously felt with the twins, making me wince in discomfort. This girl was hurting both emotionally and _physically._It made me a little apprehensive to find out what was going on with her, but I pushed the emotion aside – this girl needed help. I slowly walked towards her, giving her plenty of warning of my approach so not to startle her and sat down on the other side of her, about three feet apart.

She didn't turn to me, so I made the first move. "Hi, its Emma isn't it? I'm Sookie." I smiled, hoping that she'd look and see that I meant to be friendly. With only silence stretching between us, I looked out of the window to see what had her so enraptured. She was following the path of the butterflies that flittered around a lavender bush.

"It must be wonderful to be a butterfly, don't you think?" I'd been fascinated by them when I was a child; spending hours out in gran's meadow chasing them and watching them flutter from flower to flower, amazed when one or more settled on me. They were such free creatures and so beautiful. I wondered if this is what fascinated her.

"I used to watch the butterflies in the meadow when I was a girl. I loved how they were so pretty and delicate. So busy too! Stopping at every flower to take a sniff…"

"_Butterflies can't smell_? They don't have noses." She turned to me and said matter-of-factly like I was silly. I was hoping that she'd pick up on my silliness to interact with me.

"They don't? Well, I wonder what they're doing then if they're not smelling all the flowers? Hmmm." I tapped my chin pretending to wonder.

"Don't you know, silly? They're spreading pollen to make other flowers grow." A ghost of a smile was on her lips and I sensed some pride in her emotions. She was happy that she knew something a grown-up didn't.

"Oh, how amazing! They're useful and pretty." I replied.

"I wish I was a butterfly." The smile faded and she stared back out of the window, a wistful expression on her tiny young face.

A flash inside her mind had me observing her going out into the garden and morphing into a butterfly, joining the others flitting around the garden from flower to flower.

_Freedom…pretty and useful_

I glanced between the garden and Emma, getting the impression that this scared and sad little girl had some identity issues coupled with what I dreaded to think…abuse. Feelings of inadequacy translated in childlike fashion to just feeling bad about herself, insecurity and doubt oozed from her mind. I pursed my lips and swallowed thickly as my own fears and memories flooded back to me.

There were no images to accompany her feelings, but they were enough for me to recognize the confusion and desolation that a child that age would feel. She was so young and so unprepared to comprehend what was happening to her and I wouldn't have been surprised if she hadn't told her mother. She probably didn't understand what was going on or what to say; maybe she was too scared to say anything.

_"Do you know?" _I asked Magda silently.

_She nodded solemnly. "I suspected it but couldn't confirm it. She's extremely withdrawn and rarely talks but briefly in retrospect." _

It would take time with Emma, but I was determined to help her…to help all of these children. None of them deserved to live in emotional torment of any kind.

I got up, leaving Emma to her view and said a brief goodbye to the other students before touring the rest of the areas. Today was all about familiarizing myself with my surroundings; tomorrow I would sit down with each of the students and get a feel for what they needed.

At the end of the day and I was positively beaming with the praise from Magda, having learnt more about the children in the few minutes I'd spent with them on introductions, than other teacher-therapists had in months. The sense of having a purpose and putting my 'gift' to good use filled me up, washing away my former diminished self-confidence and I felt happy to have my telepathy for the first time in my life.

* * *

On the journey home, I sang loudly along to the local radio station having had a thoroughly rewarding first day at work. My mind was buzzing with ideas for my student sessions and I couldn't wait to get stuck in to them. There wouldn't be time tonight, however, as Amelia had texted me earlier to say that she was cooking dinner at my place after she let the pooches out and planned on celebratory cocktails to mark my first day as a 'pro'. As in 'professional working girl' and not 'prostitute' in the whole Pretty Woman sense of the word. I fancied myself as more of a Melanie Griffith type than a Julia Roberts, which only highlighted my penchant for 1980/90's cheesy romance movies.

It was around 6pm when I got home to two very excited little puppies and the aroma of lamb and spices. Amelia was in the kitchen and called out her hello as I battled my way to her with furballs on my heels. I noticed that the table was set already and it looked really pretty…_and set for four_- very suspicious. It was a really nice atmosphere to come back to though; good friends (canines included), good food and wet sloppy doggy kisses.

"Hi Sook, there's a Mojito** here with your name on it!" Amelia thrust an ice filled glass in my hand and clinked her 'cheers' to mine.

"Thanks for this…" I gestured to my drink. "What smells divine?" I asked as I breathed the aroma of saffron, cinnamon and something fruity. _Apricots maybe?_

"This, my fairy friend, is your 'welcome to the rat-race' dinner of Moroccan Tagine* and cous-cous. So, how was your day _dear_?" Amelia was a little too laid back as she slouched against the counter and it made me wonder how many Mojitos she'd got through whilst cooking.

"You're the best, I'm starving. Before I tell you about my day, why are there four places set for dinner? Are we having guests?" I eyed her suspiciously, not putting anything past her. We may have only been friends a matter of weeks, but I had her pretty sussed already.

"_Well_, I might…have just invited…a couple of _friends_to help you celebrate, is that ok?" She looked flush and a teensy bit guilty. I didn't need to read her mind – I knew who was going to be before she said it.

"You invited Pam and _Eric_didn't you?" I said in exasperation. I was tired from work, but couldn't be cross; she only had good intentions and thought she'd be helping me 'break the ice', so to speak.

"Is that OK? I know that you've been thinking about how to approach him and I just thought…" I saved her from her rambling.

"Amelia, its fine. I've…been thinking about what you said about throwing me to the lions - I mean strippers…" I half-laughed half-choked at the thought. "And decided that I'm going to bite the bullet and speak to him. It was very thoughtful of you. Does this mean that you won't…throw me at any men Friday night?"

She giggled naughtily as images of the stripper movie we'd seen a few days ago whizzed through her brain, lingering on the more gratuitous moments where there was a semi naked Channing Tatum writhing up close and personal to her. I shook my head and laughed along with her.

"Good for you girl and no, I'll let you off this time but nothing's stopping me on Friday night. I would ask Pam to go too but it _definitely _isn't her scene…although she wasn't always a lesbian…" _Oh boy_, I didn't need that visualization. I wondered if dinner was going to end up a disaster if she couldn't keep her mind focused due to her minty rum brain-scrambler.

"Hey, is there anything I can do to help?" I looked pointedly at the stove, drawing her attention back to our dinner. For a moment, I pondered what the vampires were eating for dinner, unless...we were theirs? The thought made a shiver run down my spine and a vision of Eric from my dream, holding me tightly to his naked body as he drank from my neck popped up vividly. I shook it away trying to gather myself back together as I remembered noticing earlier there were only glasses laid in two of the places.

Amelia threw her hands in the air dramatically and leaped to the stove, taking the pot off the heat and setting it aside. The air was so aromatic and the pups were salivating at her feet, their mouths hanging open. Dream on kiddos, only nice bland puppy chow for you!

"Er, Amelia? How many of these have you had?" I gestured to the drink in my hand that was now half empty. It really was yummy and I barely noticed the alcohol over the refreshing mint and lime.

"Oh, only one or three. They're sooo refreshing and go perfectly with dinner." She was well on her way to merry, possibly past that and heading for steamed but it was fun to see her cook whilst tipsy.

"_O..kay_. What time…" I was about to ask what time were _our guests_arriving, but then there was a knock at the door and with a glance to the window, I noticed that it had turned dark.

_Eric and Pam._

My heart thumped in my chest, suddenly nervous about seeing the man of my dreams, _literally_. I looked to Amelia who wiggled her brows whilst grinning like an insane woman as she pushed me towards the door. I could tell from her thoughts that she and Pam had been scheming this up for days and she was most proud of how she'd managed to block their plans from her thoughts

"What, are you and Pam like, fifteen again?" I admonished at her adolescent behaviour as I shook my head in mock annoyance.

"Actually, I think Pam was more like nineteen but she's matured some...I think." I didn't get the chance to answer her clever retort as the pooches were yapping like the good little trainee guard-dogs they were and I had to grab their collars to keep them from pouncing as soon as I opened the door.

Eric stood on the doorstep, looking every inch the imposing but devastatingly handsome spectre of my sleep. Pam stood behind him trying to look bored, but the near smirk on her face was gradually getting bigger as she glanced behind me to see Amelia's over-excited form.

"Good evening Sookie." The sound of his deep, sexy voice draw me back to Eric, whose blue eyes shone with mirth. _I could stare into those eyes for hours..._

And for the next five hours, that's exactly what I did and it seemed Eric had exactly the same idea...

* * *

* Tagine recipe - . /food/recipes/moroccanlambtagine_6696  
** Mojito recipe - . /food/mojito

**Disclaimer, I own no rights to the SVM or TB. and the folks at HBO do. **


	16. Chapter 16

**DARK vs. LIGHT : DAY vs. NIGHT**

**Chapter 16**

A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews - I love you all for taking the time to comment. You may be interested to know, if you don't already, that this story is up on my WordPress blog under the same pen name. There are pictures too. Check my profile for the link.

* * *

Earlier that evening:

_I stood staring up at Eric for longer than was polite and it took the incessant barking of the pups to bring me out of my trance and invite the two vampires inside._

_"I'm so sorry, please come in...I don't know what's got into these two! __**Thor, Sif calm the heck down will you!**__" They continued to bark as I held them back by their collars from my guests who were eyeing them suspiciously. Perhaps vampires didn't like animals much._

_The dogs were still barking and tugging to be let loose of my hold, so instead of letting them go when they calmed down, I pulled them gently to the patio doors and shooed them out. They continued to bark at my guests, their wet noses leaving smears on the glass in their efforts to get back inside. They'd not behaved like that before and I wondered what on Earth they had against Eric and Pam. I wondered for a moment if dogs, or even animals as a whole, were wary of vampires due to their predatory nature or just the whole magical element of them?_

_When I turned back to the room, Pam had wandered into the kitchen to see Amelia and Eric was watching me. If I had to hazard a guess I'd say he looked nervous. I stood there rooted to the spot, equally as nervous seeing as the last time we saw each other I basically went crazy at him. It was such an odd situation to be in. Only days before we'd met, I saved him, he attacked me, gave me his blood and then started a delicate campaign to woo me. Then there were the dreams. It wasn't exactly a conventional start to a relationship, even if he was my landlord as such, but I felt like we had one of sorts after all we'd been through. _

_During the time we stood there, our gazes fixed on each other, I__ realised__ that I wasn't scared of him any more. In fact I felt like a giddy schoolgirl seeing the object of her crush and not knowing what to say to him. The fact that I'd had such vivid dreams of us together made me feel like we knew each other a whole lot more than we actually did. We started at each other for what seemed like minutes before speaking._

_"Where are my manners, Eric won't you please sit down?" I walked over to the couch and offered him a seat, but as I did he was in front of me in a blur to take hold of my hand before gently kissing my fingers. The cool touch of his lips sent a jolt through my body that felt like the equivalent of a goosebump Mexican wave from the tips of my fingers, to the ends of my toes and everything in between. And I mean __**everything**__. _

_I didn't notice I was breathing heavily until he rested his other hand on my chest above where my heart was. He was close enough that I could smell his cologne and I shut my eyes to__ savour__ its fresh crisp scent. If I opened my eyes now I was sure I'd embarrass myself._

_"Breathe Sookie...your heart is racing. Are you still afraid of me?" The tips of his fingers traced the contours of my collar bone through the thin fabric of my shirt and it was both soothing and exhilarating at the same time. He still had hold of my hand as his other felt the rapid thump of my heart and the rise and fall of my deep breaths. I__ realised__ I hadn't answered his question, so opened my eyes to look up into his blue orbs. He really had such pretty eyes, so bright and full of mystery. I wondered what incredible history those eyes had witnessed. _

_"Yes and no." I blushed deeply at my ambiguous answer as he frowned, knowing that he wanted more of an explanation. Self-consciously I glanced towards the kitchen where Amelia and Pam were engrossed in their own little secret conversation. "I'm not afraid of you...more like what you want from me." _

_His fingers slid up my neck and traced my throat where my pulse throbbed. "What I __**want**__ Sookie..." Those bright blue eyes shone with intensity as his deep sensual voice hesitated for effect. It touched that nerve inside me that drove me crazy enough that I was hanging on his next words. "...is to get to know you. We got of to a bad start and I want to show you that you have no reason to fear me. I am not a monster." _

_His emphasis on how I didn't have to fear him was crystal. I could well imagine how he was feared by many, if not all. I knew from his previous apology that he never meant to harm me and was grateful for what I had done for him . His__ behaviour__ following 'the accident' was genuine and remorseful, so I had no reason not to forgive him. He was now reaching out to me, wanting to get to know me, wanting me to see the real man and not the scary vampire. When we first met at his bar, I was sure that there was something there between us but the alcohol clouded my judgement back then and now I was a little wary. But I did want to know him too._

_Quinn had destroyed my confidence before and part of me couldn't quite see what appealed to Eric. My ex had made it quite clear that I was pretty average and that I had so little to keep him interested. It was obvious that Eric had droves of adoring women at his beck and call. What was so special about me? _

_"I know you're not a monster Eric but... why me? I'm just me... I'm not anything special." I looked down and away from him, suddenly self conscious of just how feeble I sounded. He was so attractive and sexy; the way he'd made me feel when we first met and now gave me such incredible butterflies._

_I felt his fingers turn my chin to look back up at him and it startled me how unbelieving he looked at my previous comment. "Sookie, believe me when I tell you this, for only Pam has heard this from me. You are not only special but hands down, the most beautiful woman I have laid eyes on - __**ever**__. You captivate and intrigue me." His eyes burned with intensity._

_Wow...just wow! Blushing again at his blatant flattery, I swallowed thickly as I tried to understand his words - I really didn't know how to reply to that. Wide eyed, I just smiled shyly at him. Was any conversation I had with him going to take place where my heart wasn't going a mile a minute? Perhaps a few cocktails would loosen me up enough to talk to him with the bravado I had summoned that night we first met. Luckily for me that was when Amelia not so tactfully interrupted to get our dinner served. Hopefully she'd made a new pitcher of Mojitos..._

_"I hate to interrupt...but dinner, is served." She gestured to the table where I'd somehow missed her setting our plates out. Suddenly I realised I was starving...probably something to do with the all the exercise my racing heart and hormones were getting._

* * *

Eric and I had drifted closer and closer to each other during the next few hours that we spent chatting. We'd started off at opposite ends of the couch but the distance between us had diminished as we got more engrossed in our conversation.

Pam and Eric regaled us with tales of their time together, making Amelia and I howl with laughter at both their expense. Apparently the '80's was an era they both enjoyed far too much at the time, but looking back they both cringed at some of their recollections. I enjoyed talking to Eric about his history as Pam and Amelia became engrossed talking about fashion, and I was surprised to find myself to at ease in his company once my girlish nerves had calmed down.

Dinner had been absolutely delicious and even the vampires complemented Amelia on the aromas of the food, telling us a story of their time in Morocco and how Pam had sustained the local fabric merchants with her penchant for their silks. I had felt Eric's eyes on me throughout our meal and occasionally had caught him staring at my mouth as I licked my lips. Memories of kissing him right before the shooting were taunting me as I remembered how delicious he tasted.

We were comfortably nestled against the cushions of my enormous couch, both of us with one leg curled in front of us as we faced each other. Without realising it, our knees touched and I smiled at Eric who, for the past few hours had not looked away from me, apart from allowing his eyes to roam over my hair or my body. His long muscled arm was stretched out on the back cushion and I also couldn't help but admire his body. There was a comfortable rapport between us that was creeping towards sexual tension and I was about to ask him about what it meant to take his blood when the dogs went crazy outside.

They'd calmed down eventually after Eric and Pam had come in, but they stood sentry like at the glass doors all night. I thought it was weird but also a little endearing that my little furballs were so protective of me. Right now though, they scrambled off the deck, yapping their heads off as they sped towards the dark end of the yard.

"What on Earth?" I jumped up from my position on the couch, but my knee gave way with cramp from sitting in the same place for so long. Before I face-planted the floor, strong arms caught me and sat me back down.

"Stay here, I'll check up on them." I smiled at his concern and nodded, but noticed he gave Pam an odd look before he sped out of the doors and into the dark.

"I wonder what's got their attention...maybe a bird again. They're easily distracted, silly things." I shook my head as I laughed with Amelia at my scatty dogs. Pam didn't look quite so amused and I couldn't help but wonder if they'd heard something that Amelia and I hadn't...that the dogs also heard.

Eric had been gone a few minutes before Pam excused herself to join him in whatever was going on outside. I noticed that the dogs were quiet once again and went to the doors to look out. Moonlight bathed the night and lit the yard and the trees with an appropriately spooky light, I could see Eric and Pam positioned in a crouch like they were ready to pounce on something. There were two other people in front of them. Very naked people who seemed to glow slightly. The dogs were nowhere to be seen and a jolt of fear ran through me at the thought that whoever was out there had hurt my babies.

Without thought for whatever danger there might be, I ran outside calling their names but before I could get any further, Eric had turned and sent Pam to intercept me.

"Stay where you are Sookie...it's not safe." Pam instructed me sternly.

I struggled in her grasp, desperate to find my pups. "Let me go Pam! Where are my babies?"

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY DOGS? WHY ARE YOU ON MY PROPERTY?" I yelled out around her to the strangers that Eric had cornered.

Not believing my eyes, I gasped when one of the naked strangers shot a light from their hand at Eric, freezing him in place. The same light froze Pam as she released me and sped towards her makers defence. Terrified that I seemed to be caught in some kind of sci-fi alternate reality I screamed for Amelia, frozen to the spot myself but not from some kind of magic, but from genuine fear.

The two naked glowing intruders, a male and a female I could now see were walking towards me as Amelia came barrelling out of the house to see what the commotion was.

"Holy shit...faeries!" She exclaimed as I stood open mouthed at my friends outburst. Not having met a fairy before, I had no idea what to expect, but Amelia had researched this kind of stuff so she knew a whole lot more about my supposed kin than I did.

I was angry at my friends being frozen in place, at least I hoped they were just frozen, so my 'welcome' wasn't that _welcome. _Amelia might have well have been the same as the vampire statues that I now had in my yard, as she stood there slacked jawed in her own frozen stance.

"Who are you? Where are my dogs and what the _fuck _have you done to my friends?" I stood, hands on hips, looking as threatening as I could considering I didn't have a weapon and these..._people_had just done whatever weird magic to two pretty fearsome vampires.

With the inconceivable calm and grace the couple approached silently before holding out their hands palm up. I recoiled and stepped back, tensed for the moment when I was their next light blasting whammy victim.

"We mean you no harm Sookie, we are your kin. Your _friends_are frozen, not harmed and if you will allow us, we will show you that we are friend, not foe." The other faery held up her hand too now and they stepped closer to me, indicating that they wanted me to touch my hand to theirs.

Taking a deep breath to calm my racing pulse, I took inventory of them for a moment. They knew my name somehow. I couldn't hear their thoughts but I could see white light inside their mind and it was just incredibly beautiful, just like them. All at once, I was smiling serenely and closed the distance between them as my sixth sense told me I could trust them. I raised my hands to each of their offered ones and closed my eyes.

What I wasn't expecting was to see a photo-reel of the last week or so, from the moment I met my pups to the astounding vision of them morphing into the current form of the glowing creatures before me. They disappeared for a moment before launching themselves at a dark figure in the trees that appeared to be running from them one moment, before sniffing the air and turning back to attack them. The face I saw in their vision was none other than that of the creepy vampire Bill Compton. That asshole was stalking me here too!

Before the creep reached them, he was blasted by that weird light but instead of freezing, he exploded into flames, like he'd spontaneously combusted. It was bloody and gross and fascinating at the same time. Then the scene replayed just like I'd witnessed, with me running out of the house to see Eric in front of them.

"What the hell? _Thor...Sif_?" I questioned for a minute whether Amelia had put some wacky magic in our food for her strange enjoyment, or perhaps I'd had three too many Mojito's and was passed out drunk and dreaming the whole thing. It would certainly not be unusual considering the dreams I was having about Eric at the moment.

The female spoke this time and I wasn't prepared for what she sprung on me. "Sookie, we are your kin...distant cousins in fact. Your great-grandfather and ours are one and the same. We have been protecting you since you came into your power...your 'spark' and assumed the form of the puppies that you chose to be close to you."

My serenity was lost as I sobbed out loud at the thought that my lovely pups weren't dogs at all, but actual faeries and relatives as it turned out. I supposed I should be grateful to find out I had more actual family, and that they were there to stop Bill Compton getting to me, but I was overcome with sadness that my babies were not real. I buried my face in my hands, not wanting to believe it.

As if reading my mind, the male spoke up. "This is Claudine and I am Claude. Do not mourn for your dogs Sookie, they are still yours. When we take their form, we literally absorb it into ourselves. We can choose to leave it and separate ourselves, they are not harmed...it's like a host form, look..." Their light dimmed for a moment and suddenly my babies were at my feet yapping and I looked up to see them, Claude and Claudine dressed and glowing not quite to brightly as before. They looked almost human if not for the radioactive glow and their ethereal beauty.

"Wow, Oh my Lord...Thor, Sif my babies are you OK?" I nuzzled their soft fur against my face, holding them close and burying myself between the two of them as they rubbed themselves against me and licked my ears.

Extracting myself a minute later I turned to look at Amelia who had closed her jaw but was uncharacteristically silent, even though she did have a mad grin on her face. I know she probably had as many questions as I did, but I wanted Eric and Pam released before we did anything else. Confirming what I thought before about Claude reading my mind before, he beat me to my request.

"I'm sorry Sookie, we can't release them just yet. You see our scent is intoxicating to vampires, that's why the dark haired vampire turned back to attack us. It's dangerous for us to be around them in our 'human' form, so we've been protecting you as well as we can in dog form."

I nodded in understanding..._kind of_. "I suppose that explains why he turned back instead of running. I didn't know he knew where I'd moved to and why he keeps pestering me. Look, I really would like to know a _hell_ of a lot more about you, me and this whole faery business, but I want my friends released - _please_?"

"That's fine Sookie, I'm sure you do have many questions. I understand that your friend wants to take you to our club this weekend...'CC's'. That's our club. We can talk then, but for now we need to resume our previous form. You may inform your friends of what we are, but warn them that if they threaten us or you, we shall take action." Before I had the chance to argue that my friends wouldn't hurt me, they disappeared into a tiny flicker of light that shot into the dog's bodies. Looking at Thor and Sif's eyes, I noticed that they were once again brighter than they had been just a few minutes ago.

_This whole day and night had been the strangest of my life. _

Eric and Pam were at mine and Amelia's side in a blur, their faces contorted with anger before morphing into pleasure as they sniffed the air around us. Eric's hungry fanged gaze transfixed me and I felt myself gulp at the lust in his eyes as they rolled back in his head. He clenched his fists at his sides, looking as if he was trying to regain his composure and I couldn't help but be wildly turned on at how he looked like he wanted to devour me, body and blood. I glanced furtively to see that Amelia was trying her hardest to drag Pam back towards the house as she ran her hands over Amelia's body. I could well imagine how they were going to end up and I felt a tiny twinge of jealousy at not being on the receiving end of my own horny vampire.

As I glanced back, Eric had calmed down some and was looking at me intensely.

"I guess you want an explanation huh?" He nodded curtly, the strain still showing in his eyes that were almost swallowed by dilated pupils.

"Let's go inside, but before we do, you need to know that there's an exploded vampire in the woods over there." I screwed my nose up in disgust and pointed to the trees that shared our properties. "It's a vampire that's been stalking me since before I moved here, his name was Bill..."

"Compton." He growled the name before I could say it.

"Yes! How did _you _know?" I asked incredulously.

"And _your _faery kin killed him." I stood there doing my best impression of a goldfish as Eric took me by my elbow and led me back towards the house.

It seemed that Eric had some explaining to do too.


	17. Chapter 17

**DARK vs. LIGHT : DAY vs. NIGHT**

**Chapter 17**

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A/N: Thank you once again for your continued reviews and alerts. I'm sorry this is kind of short but I do have the next chapter underway already. I'm getting back in the saddle after having December wipe out any oppo to write. **Enjoy!**

* * *

**Eric**

My restraint was hanging on by a thread. It was happening again.

Through the red haze of my vision, Sookie's pulse beat like a drum that I needed to silence. The sounds of her heart beating and the delicious scent that drew me to her were starting to overwhelm me. All I could hear in those double beats was _bite it...fuck it...drain it..._over and over again.

I wanted to rush to her - except I couldn't move.

The fairies that I'd cornered me in her yard had not long before sent Compton to his final death. With my enhanced hearing, I'd heard their pursuit seconds after the dogs started barking, so came to the rapid conclusion that the overprotective pups were in fact fairies. Two fairies plus one vampire intent on capturing their kin equalled the true death for said vampire and I wasn't sure how I felt about that.

_Even if it was that cunt Compton._

Before I had the chance to have myself a double helping of fairy ambrosia, I was frozen like a statue and watched impotently as Pam met the same fate in her attempt to free me. Internally I was seething as I watched Sookie interact with these vampire killers. I needed to protect her and was furious at being so vulnerable; I could hear and see everything going on around me but was helpless to do anything about it. They could send me to my final death and I was powerless to stop them. From their exchange with Sookie I gathered that they wouldn't kill for now, but would not hesitate if either Pam or I hurt her. I guiltily pushed away my internal protestation that I would never hurt her, as that same thought was accompanied by the detestable memory of me doing that very thing.

Being in such a predicament, I had no choice but to listen to her be told that they were her fae family and that they had taken the form of her dogs in order to help protect her. I watched in amazement as they shifted from their human forms to those of her dogs in the blink of an eye. That explained the hostility and the magic I could sense around them. They'd been annoyingly obstructive to my night time observations of Sookie, often waking her with their barking when I came to close. Damn mutts!

Whilst Sookie implored them to release Pam and me, I contemplated my situation now that Compton was gone. Being that Sookie was now free from his scrutiny should have made me happy, but seeing that he reported to the queen would mean that someone else would be sent in his place.

I had a daunting feeling that I'd be next in line for that task and seeing how Sophie-Anne had bypassed me in the first place, I was even less inclined to comply with any demands my queen made on me. In my position as Sheriff, it would be my duty to look into and deliver the news of Compton's death to her. If she was as determined as I gathered about obtaining Sookie for her own pet, then I was pretty sure that she'd approach me reluctantly, or maybe even resort to sending her child André.

André would be an even deadlier vampire to have the misfortune for Sookie to meet, than Compton. He was notoriously cruel and seemed devoid of any personality other than being evil; he reminded me far too much of my maker and therefore I avoided him as much as possible. If I was going to be clever about this, I needed to let the queen believe that I had intercepted Sookie myself. It was a risk that I was willing to take and one that I hoped that Sookie would be on board with, seeing as I was the lesser of the two evils.

It seemed destined that my path to Sookie would be fraught with obstacles, but there was no way that I would let an angel like her fall into the clutches of the queen and her retinue. I would put my own life on the line for her, as she had done for me, and hoped that she would trust me with hers once I'd explained the situation to her.

A moment later, the fairies returned to dog form and eyed me warily as I darted to Sookie. I could tell Pam was free too, but was almost oblivious to her as I focussed on Sookie hungrily. My nostrils flared as I took in the heavenly scent surrounding her and my eyes rolled in ecstasy as I desperately tried to rein in my bloodlust. Never had I wanted to fuck someone so badly, but as much as I could tell Sookie returned a fraction of my lust, I doubted that she'd appreciate being stripped and fucked senseless in the middle of her own yard.

Once she realised that I knew about the fairies and that they'd killed Compton, I whisked us back inside. There was much to discuss.

I held Sookie to my chest, not wanting to let her take a step away from me. Not only for the fairy aphrodisiac that was driving me crazy, but the protective urge that now flamed inside me. Never had I felt such a desire to protect what was mine, even though Sookie hadn't agreed to be mine..._yet_. As far as I was concerned, she was already. At this moment, the need to cement that burned through every vein in my body.

Sitting us on her couch, I pulled her to me and so she straddled my hips. Her heart was beating wildly and the look in her eyes told me that she was frightened. The fear that resonated from her was one of anticipation and caution; she was nervous of doing something that would kick-start a frenzy. She'd been studying.

_Clever, brave girl. _

"Er..._Eric_?" I vaguely heard her speak my name as she squeezed my shoulders where her hands had rested.

Unknowingly, I was dry humping her as I ran my nose from her neck into her hair and back again and it took a pinch from her to bring me around.

"Eric!" She pushed against my shoulders pinching the skin on one side. With the way I was holding her, the push only resulted in our lower bodies grinding together and I couldn't help the groan that slipped out.

"Sookie...do that again." I just couldn't help myself. The feeling of her pushing down on my hard cock was such a luscious tease. Her resulting blush made me even harder and I could tell that although she was a mixture of embarrassed and nervous, she was also very turned on. The mix of her arousal with the lingering fairy scent had caused my predatory instinct to override the gentleman in me.

"_Eric_, we need to talk." She stammered as I slid my hands over the curve of her waist and down her hips, reaching behind her to grasp her luscious backside.

Her eyes bore into mine growled as fixed her with my gaze. She gulped, but nervously reached up to stroke my hair back from my forehead. Her fingers continued to run through my hair, stroking my temple and the back of my neck like she was petting an animal. To my surprise, I felt myself calming and relaxing into the tender ministrations with a sigh. Nobody had paid such tender attentions to me since my human mother and I found myself smiling at the memory. The beast was settling.

"Better?" She asked quietly, still stroking my hair.

I nodded. "That feels..._good_." My hands caught up to my brain and they moved back to her hips. Glancing down I noticed that her skirt was bunched up and that her white shirt was a little creased from my roaming hands. She had that sexy secretary look going on and it made the beast in my pants stir again.

Now that the fairy induced lust had receded somewhat, that left the regular stirring of lust that I felt for her. There was something else we shared in the moments it took for me to calm though and only stirred the emotion that I'd been feeling since meeting her. As we locked gazes, I knew that the feeling was love. I was falling for her.

Even though I'd never felt it before, I'd never been more sure that Sookie was the one for me. The flowers, the note, the drawing – all of it straight from my heart to her..._my mate_. She evoked such reactions in me; I moved from the most tender, romantic _man_ to primal, horny vampire in seconds. They might be contrary, but I found myself fascinated by these shifts after years of boredom and many more years of suppressing my emotions under the perverse tutelage of Appius. Feeling her emotions through my blood was just as exhilarating and right now, she was feeling calm with a tiny undercurrent of anxiety and to my satisfaction, the lust was still there.

"Sookie...I apologise for my behaviour. The lingering scent of fairy..."

"It's OK, I know." She stopped me by placing her finger on my lips as she shook her head.

Her fairy relatives had warned her of the effects of being around them and thinking about them reminded me that they must be about somewhere. Turning my head back towards the kitchen, they lay with their heads on their paws, fixing me with disapproving looks.

Realising that we were still in a fairly compromising position I moved to lift her off me but she grabbed my arms to stop me. I stilled and cocked my head in confusion, but before I had a chance to ask, her lips were upon mine. Soft, gentle kisses fanned the flames of my passion and I returned the kisses with my own more demanding ones. I wanted to taste her mouth, bury my tongue inside and stroke hers with mine, so that's what I did. Her hands came to rest on my chest and I could feel her nails raking through the fabric as she tried to feel me. Her hot little hands were travelling over the contours, feeling my taut nipples and sliding up my neck to grab my hair as the kiss developed into something more passionate.

Moaning into each others mouths, I held the back of her neck with one of my hands possessively, the other kneaded the flesh of her hip before snaking inside the gap her shirt gave me as it came untucked from her waist. She whimpered slightly as I felt the tingle of anticipation on her silky skin as my fingers ghosted over her ribs. I desperately wanted to take her shirt off to get better access to her breasts as the shirt was just too tight, but the gentleman in me thought better than to rip it off her. Now was not the time and place, unfortunately.

As if sensing my frustration, she broke the kiss and with a breathy voice whispered "rip it". For a split second I wondered whether she could read my thoughts and that reminded me I need to ask her about the shooter. Shutting my brain off from thinking business at a time like this, I complied and ripped her shirt open, sending buttons popping in all directions. Her pale pink bra was history as I tore it open and I pulled her forward, burying my face in her cleavage and breathing in deeply.

_Heaven_.

"Your scent Sookie...it drives me wild." I growled as I trailed hungry wet kisses between her breasts and then over the swells before laving her dark rosebud nipples with my tongue. I suckled on them like a newborn, whilst worshipping the other in my hand. She definitely was a good handful even for my proportionately large ones.

"Eric! Oh my..._please_." Her damn sexy moan in addition to the attention I was paying to her magnificent tits was testing my restraint to its upper limit. She accompanied her plea with a grind of her hips and it took all of my willpower not to flip her over and impale her on the couch.

"_Fuck Sookie...tell me what you want and I'll do it as long as I get to devour you." _I strained to get the words out, having never been so turned on in my existence. I thought for a moment that I might not last. That would be certainly be a first.

"I want my dream Eric, I want to be made love to, fucked, adored and devoured - _whatever _you want to call it. I don't want to talk just now, _just_ _do it._"

_Holy Fuck!_ I knew what she wanted; I knew the exact dream she was talking about as I was guilty of manipulating her dreams about me. In my defence, if she wasn't attracted to me, she'd never have responded the way she did when I watched from afar. I knew that she was though, from the first meeting. The feelings I'd experienced from her the nights she dreamt of me were enough to make me come without even touching myself. This turnaround in her feelings was worth every minute spent fantasizing about her.

The rumble of desire that came from my chest, made her gasp, but she wasn't frightened, her arousal told me that as her womanly scent increased as I looked into her impossibly blue eyes.

I was ready to take her to her bed until the angel on my shoulder reminded me that she was in danger._ Fuck it!_

"As much as I'd like nothing more than to grant you your desires lover, I fear that if we don't have a discussion about what happened tonight, amongst some other important things, I will fall into my daytime rest blissfully sated but leaving you in danger." I punctuated how much I wanted her with a roll of my hips, causing her to close her eyes, but they shot open at the mention of danger.

"_More trouble_? Is it _always_ going to be like this?" She actually laughed and I knew exactly what she meant. Each time it looked like we were getting cosy, something happened to stop us. At the club, tonight after dinner and just now when we nearly gave in to our carnal desires; the fact that she needed to know about the queen and I needed to know more about her fairy side and abilities.

"It does seem like higher powers are thwarting me. But for the moment, I'm actually pleased we have to talk. When I make love to you Sookie, it'll be in my bed and you'll not leave it for hours, maybe even days, so you'll need to clear whatever you have in your schedule to make time for me." I winked playfully at her.

"_Oh my_..." She whimpered as she blushed ferociously.

Realising that she was half dressed and still straddling my lap, she pulled her leg over my lap and curled into my side, attempting to pull her shirt together to cover her modesty. I'm glad she didn't move too far, as having her close to me felt as though she trusted what I had to say right now and that fact made me a happy man.

* * *

I know you're all chomping at the bit for these two to 'do it', but you'll have to wait just a teensy bit longer... *smirk*


End file.
